Faith in something bigger

[nostems@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

> No matter what happens today, or tomorrow, I fear Pete is permanently 
> tainted with this.  Pete = viewer of child porn (at best).

>Sadly, that's true.  It'll always be there.  Stealing glory from The Who's
>great music.  Guilty or just naively foolish, either way, Pete's damaged 
>goods.

Folks..the run above killed me and made me sit down and write back to y'all
a little bit.  Mainly a lurker, rarely a contributor, 
faithfully a reader of this list...the last few weeks have
been....surprisingly hard.  More difficult than the deaths of Keith and
John for some stupid reason, more difficult than the tragedy at
Cincinnatti, the farewell concert, the bloated 89 tour, Bolz' use of the
whammy bar caught on the Join Together recording,  the badgering from
friends about Pete's "preferences", the comments about endless recycling of
already issued material, the nth reunion tour heckling,....etc. 

 I can take all of that...it happened, its part of the evolution and
history of this band, it's frankly some of the reasons why I love The Who. 
To me, the music triumphs over all of that....and even without Keith and
John, the 2002 tour proved that.....I think it proved it to Pete and Roger
too. This list proves that. Clearly, the heartache and actions taken by
many to defend Pete unconditionally proves it too.  You folks on this list
are great.

Some of my friends, especially those that are parents (who dig more
orthodox adult porn) will not get into a discussion about Pete's
predicament with me, others want to walk out of the room, and others don't
get my anger at Pete and the media...and my enraged support of him.   I
took to e-mail to get out ADB..partly for Pete, but selfishly..I admit..for
myself.

Pete is my guy....and like mentioned in the copied text above....I am
afraid of him becoming damaged goods...because will it reflect on me when I
still have him hanging on my wall, singing from my home and car, or printed
on my jacket and shirt?   Honestly...I am not sure.   I hope not.  Because,
as with many of you...this Who thing is your middle name.   

How strange that Pete's fear of returning to make Who music and tarnish the
image by releasing more Face Dances like material...pales in comparison to
what this little excursion could do to the Who's image...and it has nothing
to do with music...who would of guessed? 

Hopefully all of this is the Chicken Little in me....I will keep the
faith...and hope to whatever or whomever this will all change for the
best...because it should, because it has to, because that is what Pete, The
Who, the music and their fans do, they triumph. 

Greg in Phoenix