In reply to:
I am extremely uncomfortable with several posts written up by one of our new members. It is evident that this person absolutely hates an entire race of people and, in her mind, I am sure she feels totally justified.
Bel - I'm sorry that you felt it important to post your feelings out in the open - if you had asked me privately, I would have happily told you that in fact, I don't hate anyone - and if you gathered that from any of my postings, then I'm afraid you read your own bias into what I wrote. I would like to know exactly what it was that I said that gave you this impression which is simply not true. And for the record, Jews & Arabs are of the same 'race'...
The truth is, I have friends of all races, colors, creeds, national origins, religions, etc. etc. etc. until lots of my friends just don't know exactly what I believe or how I Iive... I have religious books and materials from several streams of thought; I read many many concepts and ideas; I listen to ALL types of music and have a variety of artwork on my walls. That I am Jewish and live in such a way as to 'blend into' my neighborhood is what I chose to do as a result of deciding to live here. But anyone coming into my home does not necessarily know that about me!
What I am determined about is knowing the TRUTH - not the truth as I see it, but the TRUTH of historical fact. Thus, I read what many people on all sides of a controversy have to say and then make up my own mind. Could be a new concept for some people, but I don't just automatically believe what someone says just because he or she happens to be in a position of 'authority' - I certainly don't trust news anchors as most have never seen up close and personal or for any length of time whatever situation it is they are reporting! Take John Chancellor (formerly of NBC News in the States) - back in 1982, he reported all sorts of things regarding the Peace for Galilee Operation launched by Israel into southern Lebanon. As I was living here then and know 'intimately' (don't ask me why) the details of the result of that operation vis-a-vis the people of southern Lebanon, I knew when I heard about his reporting that it was all lies. Eventually, he actually came here, went to see what was going on in southern Lebanon, and when he went back to the States, on national TV, he actually apologized for getting it all wrong before and then proceeded to tell the TRUTH! What a concept!
That's all I'm after - and since I live here and have studied deeply all aspects of this area... I think I have a pretty good handle on the TRUTH of things. Now, your opinion and mine might not match, but then, I'll bet they don't match on issues related to Quebec either... but you live there and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt every time over what I think.
How's that?
Now - after clearning that air - maybe we can actually have a reasonable discussion about things related to words - even if it means bringing other ideas into the board - if I'm discussing, for instance, linguistic differences between Hebrew speakers and Arabic speakers, it has nothing whatsoever to do with how I feel about Israelis or Arabs... get it?!
Shoshannah
BTW - what I would really like to see is less junk on the boards and more legitimate discussion. If this is really NOT a chat room - let's leave out the little inuendo stuff and gross comments (headless chickens, offal and such) and stick to more intelligent banter?!
