Re: [NTLK] hopefully not too [OT] for some...

On 12/1/06, James Grubic <jgrubic@bozeman.k12.mt.us> wrote:
>
> Can we please keep this off list please? This is supposed to be about
> Newton PDAs.

I've held my tongue, but it's reached the point that I can no longer be silent.

I've been on this list for a long time--since 1995, and have seen it
through every list dad and mom it's had. Every one of them has taken a
"hand's-off" attitude to policing the list, which has always allowed
the list to exhibit a great variety of viewpoints, both politically,
religiously, philsophically, ethically, etc. In fact, this has been
it's strenghth and holding power for me, and many others through the
years. One thing I have always appreciated is that generally, the
discussions were civil--even when disagreements were heated--and
always, despite the heat, at the drop of a hat, people on opposite
philosophical poles would immediately come together to help another
member--often, the two "opponents" might even give one another
necessary pieces of hardware--never hard feelings, and never total
disrespect. In fact, even though I no longer personally use my Newton
(my daughter is using it), I have stayed on NTLK because of the list's
long-standing character. I enjoy reading the list email...

I have to add, however, that there have been discussions re: Wicca,
and other religions, but the disrespect--disdain, even, which I've
seen in this discussion, was not at all evident--has never been
evident, to the best of my knowledge, on this list before. What really
saddens me is the insinserity, crudeness, almost vulgarity, of some of
the posts. And to whom? Sonny? A relatively long-standing (by current
standards) NTLK member who has hardly _ever_ taken from this list,
only given, and given, and who has devoted a lot of himself and his
time to others on this list--some, I believe, who behaved the most
childishly, in fact. He was very up front, posted the proper "OT"
header, and tried to make it very plain in the subject that some
people may not want to read this thread--nobody was made to read the
thread. Nobody's arm was twisted, nobody was "force-fed" anything. If
you read the thread, that was your choice. Furthermore, nobody made
you reply either. That was your choice, too. Maybe you felt you were
proving something? Like how childish you can be, maybe? I don't know,
but honestly, it was unbecoming of adults to behave this way--about
this particular topic, and his chosen religion...

In any case, Some people here ought to be ashamed of themselves, and I
believe that some apologies are in order, although I'm sure that Sonny
will be gracious, and not agree with me on that point.... He's nice
like that--while I'm not.

Well, I'll just shut up now...

-- 
 -Jon Glass
Krakow, Poland
<jonglass@usa.net>
There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published
opinion.   --Winston Churchill
-- 
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