LL-L: "Administrativa" (was "Language varieties") LOWLANDS-L, 26.DEC.1999 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L Administrator]

 ========================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 26.DEC.1999 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/~sassisch/rhahn//lowlands/>
 User's Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 =========================================================================
 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
 =========================================================================
 You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
 request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
 as message text from the same account to
 <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
 <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 =========================================================================

From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Administrativa

Dear Lowlanders,

When you "run" an edited list, oftentimes you are damned if you do and damned if
you don't.

In addition to Joanna's public expression of offense I received a private one
after John's joke "slipped through."  What you need to know is that occasionally
I do block submissions, mostly because they are irrelevant and once in a while
because I expect them to offend some. In all but a couple of these cases I got
responses from the "dejected" originators ranging from polite protest to
actually threatening hate mail.  In every case the message was clearly this:
"And who are *you* to judge what is and what is not in good taste?"  In other
words, I was accused of egocentric censorship.  I try not to censor more than I
consider absolutely necessary, i.e., only in cases I consider blatant.  If I
think there is a slight chance of it being offensive I tend to let it pass,
assuming that the subscribers can "fight" it out among themselves should there
be a problem.

I am not saying that I would have expected an angry response from John had I
rejected his submission.  I usually know him as very intelligent and
well-mannered, and I judge him as quite capable of dealing with negative
reactions himself.

I am sorry if I was too lax in my "censorship."  At the same time, I hope you
appreciate the difficulties involved, considering that there is never a clear
dividing line, or that the dividing line is in a different place for every
person.  Letting something pass does not necessarily mean that I personally
approve of it.

What this reminds us of is the need to exercise restraint in posting
submissions.  We should never forget that we have an ethnically, culturally and
religiously very diverse readership.  Humor is a particularly sensitive area, as
most of us know, and there is always a good chance of others perceiving
something that was not intended.  Interestingly, the two subscribers who reacted
to John's posting were offended by two different things, the accusations being
(1) defilement of a Christian holiday, and (2) racist ridicule.  I am pretty
sure that John did not intend any of this, but that's how it has been perceived
by at least two subscribers, and this should indicate something.

So, my suggestions are these: (1) "If you have any doubts about how your posting
might be received taste-wise, don't submit it."  (2) "If you feel offended by
someone's posting, let that person know on or off the list (politely of
course)."  Please do not consider me the police chief of the taste department.

Best regards,

Reinhard/Ron

==================================END======================================
 * Please submit contributions to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
 * Contributions will be displayed unedited in digest form.
 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
   to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
   <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
 =========================================================================