You guys still have time to rig your boats with cannons.
;-) Bob
On Mar 18, 2005, at 9:01 PM, Roberta Dvorscak wrote:
Well spoken, Scott. Falls into the category of wisdom, if you ask me. I,
for one, am really hoping that you will make the San Juan Rendezvous and
hereby volunteer to stand between you and the offending party (I have
fairly thick skin as well as poor hearing).
Mark Dvorscak
M23 #74
Faith
-----Original Message-----
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:montgomery_boats- [EMAIL PROTECTED]
.com] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 3:52 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: M_Boats: A plea regarding political and/or personal opinions
Hello All,
I have been a member of this list almost since its inception, and I have
to
say that I am troubled by the political exchange of recent days.
My primary concern is that such discussions, while arguably very
important in
the proper context, will have a chilling effect on our group as a whole.
My
guess is that the demographics of this list will likely mirror somewhat
those
of the country at large--a near 50/50 partisan split. With ever
increasing
enmity and polarization in society, we need ask if these trends are what
we want
to see manifest in a group focused on the common admiration and
enjoyment of
our small sailboats.
Furthermore, I think it is important to ponder the potential effects of publicly characterizing a list member--or by extension/affiliation--a group of list members. While for some, glib one liners or snippy pejorative titles might fall into the category of playful bantering, others (myself included) might be deeply sensitive to/offended by the same.
I can offer one personal example of how this might in turn affect our
otherwise amicable exchange: I was considering the upcoming San
Juan/Gulf Island
rendezvous when a particular posting (offensive to me) arrived in my
mail box. I
asked myself honestly what I would do if the sender were to be a
participant
in this rendezvous. The honest answer was that I would avoid him, and
probably not be warmly receptive to any of his further input. This would
be a shame,
really, as I have enjoyed the information and stories shared by this
individual over the years, and I am sure that we could find considerable
common ground
outside of politics. Am I too sensitive? Maybe, but I suspect there
are more
than a few on this list who would react similarly.
So, while it perhaps bucks the current tendencies of our society and partisan politics, I would make a plea that we preserve this list as a sanctuary for our beloved pastime of our boats and sailing. I don't in any way mean to suggest that political discourse is irrelevant. Those on this list who know me well are amply aware that I have my own pronounced political and/or personal passions. Nor am I at all unsympathetic to wanting to find the reinforcement and validation of politically like-minded individuals. I would only ask that, for purposes of harmony, we focus on that of which we are truly like-minded--the world of M-Boats and sailing in general.
I believe it is incumbent upon all of us to extend individuals the same respect in cyberspace as we would in person. Doing so would serve our list well.
Thank you for your consideration,
Scott Grometer M15 #478 Flicka #392
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