Didn't mean to bring out the racism in everyone...

January 5, 2001 5:25 PM

I want to apologize for any part I had in prompting the explicitly racist comments some have posted in this thread and others, if there were any. I'm beginning to wonder whether I should continue advancing my perspective in light of reactions like this. I don't want to encourage those kinds of posts.
posted by sudama to Etiquette/Policy at 5:25 PM (8 comments total)

If you think it will get worse before it gets better, say the word, and I'll close the thread. It certainly is messy in there.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:44 PM on January 5, 2001

You really think that thread is "messy"? I generally limit my participation in threads about racism, but I've seen much, much worse. The level of discourse is generally civil. Of course, maybe my meters are miscalibrated from spending so much time reading Usenet.
posted by kindall at 1:03 PM on January 6, 2001

kindall: my meters are calibrated like yours I think, but after having it pointed out to me, I understand why it's an issue.

I, too, apologise for my part in heating up MeFi by an inordinate number of degrees yesterday afternoon, it was basically an intentional troll to push someone's buttons, and really isn't acceptable behaviour for here.

I'm staying out of that particular thread from now on, and that style of attack won't be seen here again from me.

Not to kindall:

I do sincerely apologise for offending you.
posted by cCranium at 6:29 PM on January 6, 2001

Don't sweat it, sudama. And definitely don't let others bully you into not contributing valid posts just because you're afraid certain people will respond poorly and/or attack you personally for having done so. If they do, it's a reflection on them, not you, and it will lead to only very narrow POVs ever being heard here.
posted by aaron at 11:44 PM on January 6, 2001

i'd have to agree with kindall; when i think about all the truly ugly online discussions about racism, sexism, religion, etc, that i've read in the past five years, i appreciate the people on mefi so much more, because the level of discussion here is WAY above what it would be almost anywhere else.

and like aaron said, don't sweat it, sudama! i look forward to reading your posts, and if you stopped posting it would be a great loss to mefi.
posted by lia at 1:06 AM on January 8, 2001

sudama, you're one of the people whose threads I read regularly, they're always thought provoking and are some of the more valuable posts here *because* they invariably promote a good discussion. Don't let one bad experience and a few (admittedly pretty nasty) comments put you off posting links sudama, that means they win.
posted by Markb at 8:13 AM on January 8, 2001

I don't remember anyone telling sudama to leave, I don't even remember it being implied.

As the person who made the comment that almost drove sudama to leave, I can quite honestly state that having sudama leave is the last thing I want.
posted by cCranium at 9:00 AM on January 8, 2001

Wow, I'm touched. Thanks for the words of support.
posted by sudama at 3:20 PM on January 8, 2001