John Perry Barlow even though his writing has very often driven me nuts. On Boing Boing today, though, new contributor Xeni posted a letter from the Barlowfriendz list that I think is worthy of note and consideration. Barlow starts out by responding, it seems, directly to my own complaint against his writing: “My old pal Mitch Kapor said years ago that what I needed was a ‘hyperbolectomy.’ Were such a procedure to exist, this would probably be a good time to get one, since I suddenly find myself incapable of discussing the present state of the American Experiment without veering off into Very Large Statements.” Barlow then continues with an article about the proposed war that is not only right on track but, amazingly, quite sober in the opinions it expresses. Amazingly not because Barlow’s a crank (he’s not), but that the current climate dictates that these things need to be said at all.