Greetings again, fellow Aetherians:

So far the main complaint I've heard (in feedback about my post) is that
I stated some things too strongly. Since most of you do not know the
details, kindly take my word that any decent person who had been been
subjected to similar treatment would also feel quite strongly about
setting things right.

But let's wrap this up!

First of all, I would like to compliment Justus on a very eloquent and
cleverly written post. If he is indeed the sole author, I'm sorry that
we didn't meet under more congenial circumstances, for I particularly
enjoy intelligent conversation.

Secondly, I am friends with some people who are fond of Justus, and I
have no wish to cause them pain by dragging this out any more than
necessary. In fact, I have no wish to hurt anyone, and if this matter
had not been forced upon me by Justus's actions I'd gladly have
continued into another century of silence on the public boards.

Much of Justus's eloquent post seems to be a smoke screen designed to
make him out to be a victim and obscure the facts. In the interest of
brevity, let's just look at a couple of points:

He stated, "The very fact that you made it so impossibly difficult to
speak to you..."

The very day that Justus actually WANTED to get in contact with me, he
spoke to my fiance and thus conveyed his intentions within minutes. He
is also friends with others who are on good terms with me. Are we to
believe that he's been burning to apologize to me this entire time, but
that it took him nearly nine years to figure out a way to communicate
with me?

From what I heard, he only took an interest in re-checking his "facts"
(and therefore admitting his error) in the last month or so prior to my
post. Yet he claims that "You may thank yourself that the matter has
bothered you for this length of time." How does that add up?

Also his claim that he never mentioned these falsehoods to anyone but
myself in the intervening years has been directly contradicted by others
-- and no, I cannot reveal my sources. Therefore it is difficult to
believe that I was the only person who was "treated" to those stories
over the years.

Justus, I never intended for you to "grovel and beg" -- only to
acknowledge the truth in a way that reaches anyone to whom you have
spread false information. Quite possibly I was overly intense in my
manner of stating that request, and if so I ask pardon for my own
imperfect communication. I care passionately about matters of fairness
and honor, and sometimes it shows.

That being said, enough is enough. I have no desire to cause anyone
distress, and would have been far happier had Justus simply behaved
decently from the start, thereby sparing me the necessity of addressing
the matter. Was there a better way to address this? If so, I missed it.
However, since none of us can change the past (including our imperfect
public posts), let us move forward.

Justus, whether you sincerely wanted to apologize or not: I forgive you
for your original incidents of harassment, for any efforts to spread
slander about me over the years, and also for the slant of your post
which attempts the incredible feat of making me out to be your
oppressor.

As long as your negative actions toward me have well and truly ended,
I'll bear no further grievances. Go in peace, old fellow. May we both
walk our paths with honor, and find wisdom along the way.

Penned by my hand on the 17th of Naturalis, in the year 599 AD.