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Message board > Just to balance ... hope you all understand my side.
Just to balance ... hope you all understand my side.
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Olindalima ( F )
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Just to balance ... hope you all understand my side.
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Today, Victor deleted a post. He is the webmaster, so, .... plenty of reason.
Now, I have just emailed Victor, so, everything I am going to write here, I have already told him.
Today, a member, I don �t know the name, posted a message about all the problems we all have - war.
Palestinian, Israeli. Turkish and, by the way, some more around. Around, in this post, doesn �t mean neighborhood. It means exactly this - around. Countries may be far away, geograhically, and, very, very close, for political reasons.
Not pointing fingers, just stating that, we, our governments, are all the same, more or less
I know, the rules, in this site, have been changed today.
This forum isn �t supposed to be a democracy and, even democracies have proved to be unable to solve problems.
I have lived, for about 20 years years, in a dictatorship. I know what that is.
Comes the devil, even so, I prefer a democracy, how bad it may be.
I can �t believe that so may people, here, in a teachers � forum, teachers, we are teachers, we teach, we show the way, so many... agreed with Victor �s decision, clapped hands.
Victor has decided, and many supported, that this site shouldn �t deal with political issues ... and others
Why?
We live in political countries, we are ruled by political laws, we obey political rules.
Our students are ruled, without knowing, by politics.
WHO, who can discuss political life? Not us, teachers?
Why, why can �t we, civilized members of a civilized forum, discuss what is going on around the world, IN OUR COUNTRIES?
WE MUST, WE HAVE TO KNOW; WE MUST KNOW; BECAUSE WE MUST FORWARD VALUES.
Sorry, Victor, you know I do admire your brilliant work here in this site.
I can �t stand censorship. It �s something that was born with me - never, never, ever.
People should be advised to write, speak in a fair tone, fair way, but , there is no reason why we should be forbidden of talking.
Talking about our problems may be, this will rise some kind of "small wars " among, us, but, not speaking will, for sure, rise millions of false understandings.
Please, people, talk. This is a site of friendship, of caring and of sharing....
If we can �t... who will ?
Sorry, Victor
I do appreciate all your valuable work
Sorry people around, you are the most wonderful people i have met so far.
Victor,
feel free to delete it as soon as you saw this post.
I was educated to speak freely, this is something I can �t change, but I can deal with the difference, though, I will always fight.
Hugs to everyone of you, you �re in my heart, that �s why I am writing this. I only write to my friends, the others I don �t see them.
Linda
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31 May 2010
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nata
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Look, as an Israeli person, I have so much to say about what happened today, and I would love to share it with my fellow teachers in this site,
BUT,
If we start discussing politics here on the forum things are going to get ugly for sure, because these subjects involve a lot of emotions, and I think it might spoil the nice atmosphere we have here on this site.
There are so many sites, blogs and forums about politics, let �s keep eslprintables free of it.
Yours truely, Nata. |
1 Jun 2010
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manonski (f)
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Hi Linda,
I have not seen the deleted post so I can �t say that I know what I �m talking about. I have not lived in a dictatorship so, again, I can �t say I relate to that or know what it is.
What I do know? I know that discussing religion and war can lead to good discussions and debates and it can also lead to sour threads where accusations are being served freely.
I understand that Victor �s decision was meant to avoid the second type of thread. You and I have been here long enough to know that this has happened here.
On a personal note, Linda, I understand your point of view and value your opinion and friendship. You are true to what you believe in and wish you all the best. |
1 Jun 2010
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flaviatl
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Although I understand your viewpoint, Linda, I must agree with Nata.
This is not the place to discuss those topics... I �m sure you can understand that.
Ideally, it �d be great to be able to share our views in a respectful, healthy manner but I believe that we run the risk of spoiling the friendly atmosphere we have in the site, as Nata says.
And as the topic is not intrinsically related to ESL teaching, it �s not worth running that risk.
I hope you don �t get too disappointed on us, Linda.
Flavia.
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1 Jun 2010
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Olindalima ( F )
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Hi Nata
Thanks for answering, I was not expecting any replies, not such a quick one.
I accept your opinion, there are many places outside - the problem is that we should be able to discuss these problems , here, without raising weapons. We can talk, why not?
I would be really happy to know the other side, yours, Israelli, I haven �t seen/heard anything in the news about your side.
May be, that after that, I wouldn �t agree with you, with your part.
But, I have so many friends with so many different opinions. And I love them.
We can all appreciate each other, even when we know that some of us sometimes, do bad things.
Can �t you?
I can. So many friends, heart friends, I don �t agree with.
Anyway, doesn �t matter to me if your "side" is right or wrong - I would like to speak with both parts and hear from both sides - always - at least, this is what I try.
Hugs, thanks for replying.
Linda
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1 Jun 2010
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Olindalima ( F )
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Hi dear Manon and Flavia
See what I mean?
We are talking and tiptoeing , to be very polite, to be very carefull, not to hurt anyone. But we are talking - this is a difficult problem!?. Yes, I know. So we must behave and pick up the right words. But we can talk.
I don �t want to be a... what do you call it an ostrich with my head buried deep in the ground.
Ok. Let �s wait.
Love you, both
Mannon, BTW, where have you been - long time
hugs
linda
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1 Jun 2010
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Bruna Dutra
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I personally am not against political issues being discussed in here, but that one in particular I thought it was unsuitable, mainly because it involved offensive attacks to a whole nation.
I too believe that teachers should be the first ones to discuss politics, always without biased personal opinions, but very few are able to do that. So, things do get ugly more often than I �d care.
Basically, I believe that not everyone shares the same common sense, not to mention good sense. Therefore, unless people respect each other, I believe a moderator must do the dirty job. And that includes being disapproved of.
I am totally against religious discussions in here. I believe most of us are spiritualized somehow, but religion issues have very little to do with teaching languages.
Hope to have made my contribution with my opinion.
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1 Jun 2010
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nata
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Dear Linda,
You are right. The ideal situation is that we can all share opinions and thoughts about events in the news, politics, etc.
But here in the middle east, unfortunately, things get really tensed and people just let themselves react however they want to react and it can sometimes be really offensive. I once wrote here on the forum about holocaust memorial day, and while some members were interested in the topic, others attacked me. So I believe we have to be careful with what we bring up here.
Truly,
Nata. |
1 Jun 2010
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Olindalima ( F )
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hi hassan
Thanks for your answer, too
I was trying to bring here some kind of comfort for all OUR problems.
So I tried to be very carefull about what I was writing. I measured the words, and, seems to me , everyone around understood.
Hassan, we can talk, but need to be particularly careful with our words.
Thanks for answering, we need to hear all voices.
hugs
linda
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1 Jun 2010
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Lina Ladybird
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That �s my dear Linda... Always standing up for something! 
However, even though I appreciated reading your personal opinion regarding this topic, I cannot agree with you THIS TIME - sooo sorry!! ;)
I �m afraid I have to second everything that Nata and Manon said in their posts.
IMHO, implementing this new rule has nothing to do with censorship. I guess Victor �s only aim is to avoid cultural clashes in this forum...
Lots of love and a biiiiiiiiiiig hug to my favourite Linda!!!! 
Silke
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1 Jun 2010
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