Posted by Mark H. on January 30, 2001, at 19:35:55
In reply to Re: Holding my Tongue, posted by Noa on January 30, 2001, at 18:42:58
Dear Noa,
No, that juxtaposition was not intended as a comment or reflection on you or anybody -- it was simply my trying to express many things (perhaps too many things) in a single sentence.
Noa, you are the ideal responder as far as I'm concerned. If there is anyone's style on this board I would like to emulate, it is yours. You almost always achieve a perfect balance of sensitive consideration and intellectual depth, or what (in editorial circles) is sometimes called, simply, "clarity and grace." My admiration for you is completely sincere.
"Super-skillful" probably would have been a better choice of words than "saintly," although I didn't intend "saintly" to be anything but complimenary. Mostly, I meant it as a recognition that I don't have your clarity and grace, but I hope I still have something to offer that is useful.
I too sometimes write "I'm sorry you hurt" and "You go, girl!", which have their place. My point was that I hope the support we're allowed to offer will not stop there, out of fear that someone will mistake asking for details or commenting on a possible pattern as an attack or intrusion.
I think Dr. Bob needs help from active participants in how to view and manage this rich resource. He needs to hear a plurality of opinions, from all types of posters and respondents.
For instance, I don't think it's appropriate to banish ANYONE from the Administration board for their comments -- this board was specifically created to "deal with individuals" and technical problems and suggestions for improvements. I think this board is the ideal place for "name" to have his say and for Cam to blow his top and for (someone) this afternoon who finally said what he/she felt in completely uncensored terms! It keeps it off of the "support and education" boards and helps them to function more effectively, I think. Dr. Bob may want to enforce his view of civility across all three (or four?) boards. My opinion is that the Admin board is the place to relax that requirement, for the sake of civility on the education and support boards.
My favorite active participant on this board is Shar, and although we've rarely spoken directly to each other, I sense that she and I would go to bat for each other almost instinctively. Our values and especially our senses of loyalty seem very similar. She's says what I think, and I feel that she really hears what I say. I would never contradict her on Psycho-Babble or PSB.
But here, on the Admin board, I found myself yesterday in the strange position of defending "name's" right to have his say here, even though he's stirred up a lot of the people I most respect and admire. This is, I thought, the appropriate place to talk about things like what the rules should be and how they should be enforced. In this respect, I think "name's" postings are appropriate, if disagreeable.
I apologize to you (and to anyone else) who took my vision of a bleak *potential* FUTURE for the board as a comment on the present. My concern was, and is, that if Dr. Bob continues to block people from THIS board for speaking their mind, there is no place left for them to go....
I really appreciate all you give to these boards,
Noa, and especially that you'll ask me outright if you're unsure of what I intended.Best wishes,
Mark H.
poster:Mark H.
thread:388
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20001124/msgs/453.html