It appears that the person behind the Grew/Kerfoops persona and Irving have one thing in common - they thrive on the antagonism of others.

Not just in a legal sense, surely Milly?  Whatever you intuitively suppose someone might deserve, attacking someone physically because of their views is intellectually problematic, too.   Where do you go from there, for example, if the person is too big to hit?  And to what authority do you appeal if someone wants to shut you up with their fists? 


I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, Milly, but raising the spectre of the untermensch is surely most unfortunate in this particular context.  The distressing thing is that people with Irving's views are quite obviously human and denying that fact is often the first step towards allowing ourselves to behave in an inhuman manner towards them.

That said, I don't know how I'd have reacted in Richard's position.  I like to think I'd have asked to be allocated a different seat; and I'd have asked very audibly, giving reasons.  Whether I'd actually have done that, I don't know. It looks very simple when you write it down but when it's all happening it requires a fair bit of courage to go through with it. 

To interrupt a stranger's conversation and tell him one does not care for what he is saying would be one thing. It would at least give the wretched man the chance to prepare himself.

To whack a seated man's face with a suitcase without warning - and even boast about it afterwards - is something entirely different - it is quite cowardly and caddish is it not.

That would be a more transparent way of dealing with it, but you're absolutely right, it requires a lot of courage, and it's courage which normally fails me in such situations, leaving me flustered, stammering and effectively impotent with rage.  I just can't effectively argue my case in those situations.  I must confess therefore that I've been known to 'accidentally' barge past or knock people who've annoyed me for much less offensive reasons such as young guys pushing past me to a seat when I've been carrying heavy bags or really tired, or failing to give up their seat to elderly people forcing me to do so instead.  Nerves can get very frayed when you're travelling.  

I'm sure if this guy followed up every case of verbal or minor physical abuse he must receive he'd be far too busy to go anywhere on the Eurostar.

Mrs Kerfoops - cases much more deserving of "a chance to prepare their case" have had much worse done to them without it.  I'm sure he'll get over it.

But this is all part of the permanent Sydney Grew/Mrs. Kerfoops bait against Richard Barrett. And then Pim Derks or someone will vent impatience/displeasure against Sydney Grew/Mrs. Kerfoops. Tempers will rise. Wild words will get posted. Hissy fits will be had. Moderators will have to put the time in to keep everybody in order.

Boring and pointless methinks.

True - it's something I've wondered about as well.  Not whether I'd turn into a torturer, but what it might take to turn idle thoughts into reality.   The most violent I've ever been in anger was throwing a cushion at the ex (throwing it very hard I might add  ), but what does it take to flip that switch when I think to myself "that person deserves a punch in the face..."

No it is not and it would have been wonderful if Irving had broken his neck in this "accident".

Insulting people on this message board under a false name: now that's cowardly and caddish. I think you should apologize to Richard. I'm amazed that the Moderation Team doesn't remove the insult.