It won't be the LAST time...

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

On Fri, 30 Jul 1999, James Purchase wrote:

> We have people on the list now from both Europe and Asia and I know enough
> about cultural differences to know that not everyone knows what <g> means
> and I am also very aware, living in a multi-cultural, multi-racial,
> multi-ethnic city that the word "spade" can have _very_ negative
> connotations. Protestations to the contrary do not make me feel any more
> comfortable with that kind of language.

...

> When I thought that was over and done with, the rather glib suggestion, even
> in jest, that we perhaps consider holding some entries up for private
> ridicule just brought my house of cards down. I have worked too many 12 hour
> days on this event over the past few weeks to see someone scuttle all of our
> efforts "as a joke". Perhaps I _am_ too serious, but this is me - take it or
> leave it.


I think that we all need to be accomadating of other viewpoints. This goes
in both directions. I think we need to understand, for instance, that some
people may not know that the phrase "call a spade a spade" means anything
different than "call a shovel a shovel" (is it different?  I'm one of
those people who doesn't know).

A few weeks ago I was flamed in private e-mail because I expressed
something in passing that really incensed you (I referred to the contest
as a "national contest"... that's kind of like the spade comment). After
receiving two of these angry e-mails I wanted to leave the group too.  I
held on because I had more energy back then.  If it happens again, I
probably will leave. I have no idea if Olga was trying to "bait", or just
express a different viewpoint, but the replies to her were seem very clear
in their intent and anger.

Case in point, Olga's "ugly entry" post two days back.  I read this as an
attempt to inject a little humor, and get over some of the "ugliness" of
the previous day.  nothing more.  I had actually written up a reply
yesterday, noting that aquarium clubs do this all the time.  It's not
ridiculing, but adding a little fun to the mix (the winning fish or tanks
are usually selected based not on mediocrity but on deliberately bad
qualities enstilled by their entrant... like a really big pleco, or
generous use of bubbling divers).  

An appropriate reply would have been "come on, let's stay on topic here."

James, there will be people disagreeing with you in any project.  If you
drive them all out of the group, there will only be one person left in
the group.

  - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson 
erik at thekrib dot com

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