🚀 go-pugleaf

Alas!  The recent posting by SORINM7998@AOL.COM indicates that
a "flamer" has found this conference.  And, as is the custom with
"flamers," the potential for dialogue regarding vital issues has
been lost -- replaced by a TV talk show approach to issues, which
eliminates the give and take of informed opinion in favor of a
"that's just my opinion and I don't have to explain what lead me to
that position" approach.

I would like to reinforce the notion of this conference as I understand
it: that issues of international/national/regional development,
particularly as they are related to democratic forms of mass media,
are discussed intelligently and courteously.  Within the standard
intellectual framework, this means that, at a minimum:

1.  Messages are signed -- the poster assumes responsibility for
his/her statements;

2.  Messages reflect a respect for the other persons on the
on the conference -- whose ideas and beliefs may or may not coincide
with those of the poster.

Having said this, I understand this conference to be a place where
persons of like mind regarding the media -- many of whom actively
work in the mass media -- can gather to compare notes on the manner
by which the existing mainstream media might be made more democratic.
And this does include the use of radio/tv/data channels by those
fighting dominant power structures in their society.  I'd be glad to
talk about the traditional structure of power (including media power)
in Mexico, and the challenges to that power that the Zapatistas present.
During that discussion, we might even talk about the desirability of
more democratic models of media . . . or even the question of "what is
democracy?"

However, I get the feeling that that discussion probably belongs on
other conferences -- some that welcome uninformed, raw "opinion," and
others that encourage informed, well-considered, courteous debates on
the issues.  DEVMEDIA exists, as I see it, for other purposes.

I speak for myself and not for other members of the conference.  I would
recommend that, in the future, messages from "flamers" be ignored; if
they continue to be a problem perhaps some sort of filter might be
placed on postings to screen out offending parties.  I say this because
I've seen "good conference go bad" by the energy expended to respond
to the rabid ravings of those to whom a good discussion involves the
antics employed by Oprah or Geraldo . . . even the energy involved
in just hitting the "delete" key is more than I personally care to
expend.  I think we have better things to discuss with our time
here . . .

John Higgins
School of Telecommunications
Ohio University
Athens  Ohio
higginsj@oak.cats.ohiou.edu
or
higgins.5@osu.edu


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ORIGINAL NOTE BY SORINM7998@AOL.COM READ:

> i thought that the pussy-minded, spoiled maoist brat packs of the sixties are
> gone. alas, they are back. find a worthier cause dear, leave the jungle
> alone. you just encourage today's savimbis and pol pots for pure friendship,
> or you plan ahead for the next generation of idealists, which should not be
> deprived of their fair share of healing the crippled, pitying the refugees,
> and clearing the land-mines. stop making the bad worse by your ignorance.
> help the people not the killers.