[Reader-list] discomfort

[shuddha at sarai.net]

Dear Francesca, 

Thank you very much for your message. I feel equally disheartened on seeing
this list being abused to call for bans, denunciations and character
assasination of all kinds, particularly by a motivated minority of people on
this list whose 'nationalism' permits them to cross the lines of decency on
more than one occasion. 

I believe that this list is a space for the freedom of speech, unfortunately,
this means that we have to live with this kind of abuse. While I completely
disagree with the kind of speech that some people practice obsessively on this
list, I believe that it is their right to do what they wish with their speech
acts.The only antidote to it is for everyone else, like you, like me, like all
those committed to an open space to post, with care and with passion, and about
a diversity of issues, to not let any one issue, any one tenor, dominate the
tone and character of the list. 

My appeal to you would be to you, and to all the silent readers of the list, to
reclaim the list, to make it their own, to discuss all the diverse and strange
and rich experiences that are a part of our daily lives and thoughts may find a
reflection in this sapce,  so that the efforts of an aggressive minority to
monopolize the space of discussion is not able to succeed. 

If we believe in freedom of speech, then we have to enrich this space, to
demonstrate that freedom of speech is not ONLY the freedom to hate and spread
poison. 

I look forward to reading what you, and what everyone thinks and feels, 

best, 

Shuddha

On Wed, 3 Nov 2010 00:58:14 -0700 (PDT) francesca recchia <kiccovich at yahoo.com>
wrote

> Dear all
> 
> 
> I am writing this message as in the past days it often happen to me to
> discuss
> about the list with different people from different contexts in different
> places.
> 
> I feel that the potentials of exchange and interactions that the list offers
> are
> immense - an incredible spring of food for thoughts that unfortunately often
> gets lost in personal attacks, petty accusations, aggressive tones and
> dismissive attitude.
> I understand that some political matters are close to people's heart, but
> this
> does not justify the lowering of the tone of the intellectual exchange.
> 
> I have often thought of unsubscribing, but the knowledge that every once in a
>
> while there is the chance of positive engagement  prevented me from doing so.
> 
> My posts have often gone unanswered - i reckon they are not very interesting
> to
> the other members - i wonder whether this will get any response. :)
> 
> Warmly
> francesca
> francesca recchia
> kiccovich at yahoo.com
> it +39 338 166 3648
> 
> 
> 
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