[Sauron the White]

WCH - Is Christopher Tolkien a private person in the same way that you or I are? Can someone of the stature and fame of CT ever be a private person? I do not feel it is possible for someone of that stature to become a private person when they feel it is convenient for them to do so.

There are issues here which are never discussed by folks like yourself. For example.... why did the Estate willingly participate in the promotion of the movie through reissues of the books with cover tie-ins with the films in return for higher than normal royalty payments? How do you willingly participate in that, cash the checks from the revenues which were four to five times higher than in non-film years, and then engage in comments against the hand that is helping to feed you?

How do you sit at the head of the Estate, perhaps wielding enough power to be the Estate itself for all practical purposes, and take one position of "we have nothing to say about the movies" and then conveniently put on the uniform of the private person and engage in letter writings, conversations with people like yourself and others saying negative things about the movies? Especially when you have a very reasonable expectation that many of the feelings you expressed as a private person will somehow filter back in places just like this forum making your true feelings known to your hardcore fan base?

Yes, you sometimes try to take the high road of non-involvement but in actuality are taking a side which has been well known. But your hypocritical position then gives cover to your hardcover true believers who can then post in places like this and claim with a straight face that there is no position pro or con on the movies from CT and the Estate?

I think that is less than honest and straight forward. Just like I have repeatedly stated that the selling of COH as a "new book" was less than honest and straight forward as well.