What?

mnorman@ccsmtp.canon.com
Tue, 19 Dec 95 14:31:07 PST

(Admittedly off AJ topic but I choose to reply to the public comments
in public).

First off, I don't want your admiration. Second, the feeling you got
about my patriotism is wrong, I don't identify with "fellow
Americans", I identify with fellow human beings. Third, I agree, that
criticism is good, but condescension is destructive.

Now, you don't think Elson was condemning anyone? Jesus Christ, he
wrote point blank that Americans "... are not intelligent enough to
make any relevance to our lives here." Then you write that he
"certainly didn't stoop to calling anything or anyone 'ignorant'" when
in the penultimate paragraph of that post Elson wrote in parentheses
"read ignorant Americans'". I have no idea whether Elson feels this
way daily, but his _comments_ were snide and damaging, and since they
were made in public I pointed this out in public and will continue to
do so.


Mark

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: hypocrisy?
Author: Tim Arland <tca@cerf.net> at cis-ccsmtp
Date: 12/19/95 1:40 PM

On Tue, 19 Dec 1995 mnorman@ccsmtp.canon.com wrote:

> > That is true, but most Americans don't think life exists outside
> > our borders. They hear "Bosnia, Bosnia, Bosnia" or "South Africa,
> > South Africa" and are not intelligent enough to make any relevance
> > to our lives here.
> > Elson
>
> Such a statement is as ignorant as the supposedly stupid Americans
> you decry. If you value integrity, I suggest not exhibiting what you
> criticize, otherwise you are guilty of both what you condemn and
> hypocrisy.
> Mark N.

Wait....did I miss something? I've been following the thread, but don't
understand this response. I don't think Elson was condemning
anything....and he certainly didn't stoop to calling anything or anyone
"ignorant". I think Elson was only trying to point out the fact that
many Americans lead self-centered lives. By this I mean only that not
enough people care about the problems in this country to try and make a
difference. We are all guilty of it...myself included. Too many people
worrying about the shoddy wax job on their new BMW...or part of their
body to have pierced or altered next.

I get the feeling that you are reacting on the direct criticism of your
fellow Americans, and I admire your patriotism, however, criticism isn't
necessarily a negative thing.


Tim (tca@cerfnet.com)