Ellyne said -

Look, we all know I'm the little arch-conservative. Do you think arch-conservatives are blind to social injustices?

Or that welfare 'reforms' that seem likely to penalize children when they kick in in the very near future don't make me furious?

I don't know any other arch-conservatives to whom those two descriptions would apply which is why I wouldn't have classified you in that category. I would have called you right of central, certainly, but I wouldn't have put you with the arch-coservative poeple one sees on other lists who rant on about 'Let the babies die, it's Darwinian'. I know you aren't in that group.

I know I'm not always the best at expressing myself, but have I really done that poor a job?

OK, well you did pick up that I was a bit pissed off, but in fact it was simpler than that. I'm in a very long-standing partnership, which is not formal marriage, and I took exception to the undercurrent coming from a bunch of people on the list, that a relationship which is not formalised by State approval means the people have less respect for each other, or less commitment, or are dislinclined to care for their children, or whatever.

Alison