[Kransha]

I realize that this forum is entitled 'Mirth' and thus should remain mirthful, but I'd like to drop in a point, and then I'll state something more mirthfully relevant.

I believe that LotR is a wonderful thing. I have spent much time reading Tolkien's works, as many of you well know. But, I still feel that respect and admiration for those who ignore or even dislike it should not be denied. I have many people who have read the trilogy, and sometimes more Tolkien, and can still honestly say they dislike the work. I never reproach them for this, I simply ask them why they did not find Tolkien's beauty and majesty. Why was it lost on them. Some of them came up with rather unintelligent reasons ("It's for geeks," or "It's just fantasy,") but others had very intelligent ones. This is a pro-Tolkien site, obviously, and I am vastly pro-Tolkien, but I argue for these people. They have very valid reasons, relating to the language, style, and craft of the stories, the general genre, and various other matters. Assuming that those who dislike Tolkien are boorish ignoramuses reduces us to the level of said boorish ignoramuses, though not in fact or word. We're here to be open-minded, comrades. The only people who I, as an individual, cannot stand, are those who disavow Tolkien because of it's 'geek' aura...and voracious Legolas fangirls. That is my only pet peeve. Otherwise, I have not witheld anything from the non-LotR fans, except for the painful ones.

On a lighter note, if I were to do some obligatory beating of that latter, disliked lot, I would probably just have them listen to Tom Bombadil's poetry for 3.5 years. It's fine for 3-4 pages, but then it gets a bit monotonous, monogamous, and molassessous. That would at least bore them to extreme pain, possibly to the point of suicide, or otherwise.