To Goanet - Dear Bosco,
I do not mean what follows to be adversarial or abrasive. Although I use your posting as a launch pad, my response is directed at the general audience. A few misconceptions and a bit of fuzzy thinking have plagued conversation on this issue. I do not wish to get into a drawn-out discussion on the topic, so if this posting leaves you (a generic "you") unconvinced, we will have to agree to disagree. Obiter dictum: I recognize that Goanet is a private mailing list, that the opportunity to post here is a privilege, not a right. But what good is an Internet group all by itself in a lonely corner? Its stock value derives wholly from its participants - the quality of its contributors and its subscribers. While the founder, the core committee, the moderators etc may hold the keys to its management and policies, every single person who contributes to dialogue accrues ownership credit (individual holdings may differ). This is how it is on every private, moderated Internet group, Goanet included. Back to the topic at hand: I have not run a fine-toothed comb over Goanet's rules. Nevertheless, I will say the following: NONE of the 5 stipulations Bosco enumerates below are required for Anand and I to be in legitimate play here on Goanet. I base this assertion on empirical considerations of the running of Goanet averaged over the past several months (long enough to make a fair reckoning), and on the prevailing zeitgeist. - We have not asked for nor do we expect any special resources from Goanet for the Parrikar interview other than the standard conduit required to make a post. - We have solicited questions, not advice. We do not need advice. This is not to say that we know it all, or that we have the "take it or lump it" attitude. Far from it. This process is new to us and we are rapidly learning the ropes as we go along. We were glad that people like George Pinto and Jose Colaco have warmed up to the idea. We loved it when Vivian D'Souza wrote here as well as privately to us with suggestions. What I have no use for is knee-jerk chatter: "Why didn't you do this?" or "You should have done it that way" etc etc. My reaction to this claptrap is: where were you all this time? Why do you perk up only AFTER we come up with an idea? It is the same old same old with Goans - wake up only when someone actually threatens to do something and then hold yourself up as the bottomless reservoir of pearls of wisdom. - Anand and I would like to do this on our own terms. To put it coarsely: we don't owe nobody nothin' and nobody owes us no nothin'. We believe we are going to be fair-minded and transparent, but that is a judgment the Goanet audience will make once the presentation is put up. - Dr. Virgincar has already taken it up a notch: he has put in a call to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and asked if he would like to come field a bunch of questions. In other words, Dr. Virgincar does not simply talk the talk (like many fellows here) but he also walks the walk (unlike most fellows here). - Even if Dr. Virgincar had posted a link to a video clip of a Manohar Parrikar soliloquy, it would not run afoul of your posting guidelines. In the present instance, the ex-Chief Minister of Goa and the current Leader of the Opposition in the Goa Assembly is taking questions from the general public. That event in itself qualifies as newsworthy, and therefore fit for publication on Goanet. The mechanics of how the whole thing is put together is IRRELEVANT insofar as the moderation policy is concerned. Unless the content in the link carries vulgarity, incitement to violence etc you should have no issue with it. Unless you can show that we are resorting to overt political propaganda beyond the ambit of political debate, I don't see how we violate anything here. To summarize: I do not believe we have to adhere to any of the stipulations outlined below for us to make a legitimate post with a link to an interview by Manohar Parrikar. The agency of Goanet was used to solicit questions (similar in spirit to other instances here). If anyone is not satisfied with the way we are going about the Parrikar session or has reservations of any kind, I have for him or her a highly subversive proposition: go ahead and compose your own symphony. We are all ears. Warm regards, r Bosco - Goanet Volunteer wrote: > If your message(s) fit the rules, you have nothing to fear. Whether it > includes Manohar Parrikar on video or in mufti. > > Having said that, I think we should all understand, rather, try to > understand that Goanet was not setup 14 years ago as a platform for > politicians to exploit for propaganda purposes. On the flipside Goanetters > and citizens have indulged in propaganda, since the earliest days of Goanet. > We've heard it all - pro-Salazarist, anti-Portuguese, pro/anti-Congress, > pro/anti-BJP, pro/anti-Goa Suraj, pro/anti-Catholic, pro/anti-Hindu, etc, > etc..... > > You are welcome to do what you plan to do vis-a-vis Manohar Parrikar but > please note, there is more to Goa's problems than its politicians; there are > many success stories to talk about rather than failed political bedfellows. > So while you would like to introduce Goanet to a tryst with the Messianic > Manohar Parrikar, please note the below requirements that must be met with > the intent of transparency in this issue and to arrest the rules from > getting skewed: > > #1) If the "motives" are in Goa's interests, then it would be prudent for > you to give all political leaders an even playing field and an opportunity > to respond to questions from Goanetters, too. If you reached out to Manohar > Parrikar, you should reach out to other ideologies/parties too. > > #2) In all fairness, Manohar Parrikar must answer ALL questions that are put > up by Goanetters not just the ones that will embellish his propaganda. He is > a politician and we understand that. A transcript of all questions received > must be posted on Goanet ahead of the interview. > > #3) Besides being recorded on video, the text of the interview must be > transcribed. While the video must be posted on YouTube and/or other > website(s) with a copy to any member of Goanet Admin or other Goanetters > seeking the same, the transcribed text must be posted on Goanet. All > questions and answers will be in the public domain just like the comments of > several thousand Goanetters over the years. > > #4) Goanet Admin would like a say in the constitution of the moderators > panel and the attendees at the interview. As the one who came up with the > thought of conducting this interview, you cannot abrogate this right to > yourself and use Goanet at the same time. There are several vocal/silent > Goanetters that Goanet can select from - people with diverse views to be a > part of this panel. > > #5) March 7, 2008? Whats the hurry? Is another chair being stolen somewhere? > > I could add or delete items from this list......its an ongoing discussion. > This is new territory for Goanet and there is no intent to scuttle this > initiative. Other Admin members will see my comments as the sun > rises.......and may have additional comments. > > A word of thanks to Rajan and yourself for your efforts in this endeavour. > > - Bosco > Goanet Admin > http://www.goanet.org > Where Goans Connect >
