Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Harrison Harmonicas

[Bob Cohen <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sep 16, 2011, at 12:38 PM, EGS1217@xxxxxxx wrote:

> None of the people filing their complaints and bashing him on harmonica  
> blogs seem to have done their homework up front. Many sent in payment in full  
> from the beginning despite not being asked to do so. Why would anyone do so 
> if not in an effort to try to expedite their own harmonicas over other  
> customers? Seems a foolish move when it wasn't required. In fact one blogger  
> admitted he did so in a move to 'jump the line'. 

Sorry in the advance for the lack of explicit harmonica content. If that offends, hit the delete button now.  

Kudos to Elizabeth for doing her homework and for being lucky enough to get what she paid for.  However, the CAVEAT EMPTOR argument left me feeling very upset. That dusty old trope shifts blame from the victimizer to the victim.  It says, careless or incapable people deserve what they get. 

Boiling the situation down to its most basic elements, the B-Radical company took money from its customers and failed to deliver on its promise. To be sure, those "lucky" enough to get what they paid for have a treasure worth more than they expected. Those who paid their money in good faith,  but who did not receive the goods, deserve our compassion, not an apologia for the failed business man.

There's another dusty old trope that comes to mind.  "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."  That, my friends, is the sad truth here.  

Does the owner deserve compassion? Sure. The poor guy currently occupying a seat on the River Styxx, II on his way to the other shore must be very sad. Personally, I fee bad for him.  To me broken dreams and failed potential number very high on the list of human tragedies. 

Nevertheless, we need to stop blaming the victims and stop apologizing for the perpetrators. As folks say on radio call-in shows, "I'll take my comments off the air."

Cheers,

Bob