At Stardate 20030529.2332, Jan Coffey wrote:
I also note that the Americans who do respond in the way you have suggested tend to be the far left. You can tell just from the local and stated beliefes of those involved that this is the case.
I beg to differ; those who turned against me appear to be rather right-wing. However, that may very well be a matter of difference in perception between the US and Europe. It appears to me that, generally speaking, Americans consider anything on the left of the Republicans to be left-wing. In Europe, however, the general perception is that the US does not have a left-wing and a right-wing party, but two parties of which one is right-wing (the Democrats) and the other even more right-wing (the Republicans).
Likewise, I can imagine that the various "Green" parties in Europe, who are modestly left-wing by our standards, are seen as left-wing-extremists in the US.
But, quite frankly, after having been on a list whose primary topic appears to have drifted from science-fiction to US and international politics, I'm not really interested in political discussions right now. I don't want this list to be a continuation of the old one, I prefer to have science-fiction as this list's primary (though certainly not only!) topic.
Don't let that stop anyone else from discussing politics if they like, though.
I support you and your new brin-l list. I think it is about time that there was a list outside of the controle of those particular individuals. I had simmilar experiences as you but simply left before they escilated.
This may or may not surprise you, but while on the old list pretty much nobody dared criticise the current list admins and certain other individuals, you are not exactly the first one who has made comments like yours outside of the old list.
But then, this list was set up as something of a fresh start, not as a place where people gather to bash the old list. I started this new list for two reasons: to leave the misery of the old list behind, and to create a Brin-related list that has science-fiction (rather than politics) as its primary topic.
So, with all due respect, I am not going to engage in a lot of discussion about the old list...
I hope that this new list can be less totalitarian, and more open to differning opinions.
I most certainly intend it to be that way! On this list you are free to disagree with the listowner; it won't get you thrown off the list.
P.S. Please remove the member profile for me and I will send you a new one soon.
Done!
Jeroen van Baardwijk
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