2008/9/29 Sandeep Heble <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > I think Selma probably misunderstood the context of Cecil's post, and > its true intent. While Fred is an eminent Journalist with a huge > presence on the Internet, Cecil's customary style is to have a go at > him every now and then. Cecil picks up a raging issue, adds his own > two bits of humor to it and throws in Fred for a measure or two. Fred > does not mind all this, for it gives him a lot of free publicity. > Sometimes, Fred does try to hit back and hold his own. There are times > when he has succeeded, there are times when he hasn't. > > To the innocent bystander, it would appear as though the two are the > greatest of enemies but in reality the two are great friends and have > huge mutual respect for each other. Their verbal duels are archived in > other forums and should be taken with a tinge of humour and a grain of > salt. They are all in good fun and spirit. > > Though Cecil's post may have had some element of truth in the > background (by Fred's own admission), it was meant to be a > tongue-in-cheek response, for a few grins only and not to be taken too > seriously. > > While Selma is all upset and jittery, Cecil and Fred must be having a > good hearty laugh over this!
Since it has come to this, let me speak out here... Just to say Sandeep's interpretation isn't quite true. Actually, it couldn't be further from the truth. I don't mind a joke (or many jokes) at my cost, sometime joke at my own cost myself, and believe that people who take public positions (including journalsts) are open to be publicly criticised, and held accountable. But I resent the fact that: * Some people in cyberspace believe that growth for themselves can come primarily by pulling down others. * This is achieved by half-truths and total lies being passed around as "humour". In the case of Cecil, this is not the first time it has been happening with me. A few years back, apparently on being misguided by someone with some professional rivalry, Cecil and a few others made (or helped to circulate, by persistently keeping it under discussion) a series of scurrilous allegations against me. I was then supposed to have manipulated in a behind-the-scenes-manner to shift the online website of the Goa Today magazine from the Goa-World website to Goacom.com. These allegations went on for a good year-and-half, and resulted in a lot of intrigue, denials and claims, and bitterness. It also cost me my friendship with people I had worked with for years prior. Further, when people see allegations against anyone in cyberspace, it's easy to pile on and add to the insinuations (as Ralph Rau has done in the recent case ... my contributions to Goanet don't rise because I block others, they come out just because of the hours and hours spent online) regardless of the fictional basis of the original allegation. As Selma has suggested, this becomes a kind of hunting sport in itself. After 18 months, it was found out that the allegation was a complete hoax, and a figment of someone's imagination. Cecil muttered some kind of apology... but what's the point? The damage was already done! My relations with friends of many years earlier were ruined. People saw me as a manipulative, cunning personality. My equation with Goa Today soured for awhile (a column on Goa and Goans in cyberspace stopped ... ) While I have worked with Cecil in the past (before and after our public spats), I am seriously perturbed about the kind of "humour" that is used as a tool to target individuals, with falsehoods passed off "tongue in cheek" writing. I've been the target of this more than once, and it is far from funny, I could tell you. (Maybe I need to get together with Remo Fernandes and form a Victims of Cecil's Writings Society!) Sandeep, I would like to know from you how you would feel if you were dealing with a few hundred people, most of whom have never met or seen you, largely go by what they read about you online, and then find that you are caught up in some huge "controversy". Of course, nothing about the "controversy" is true, but everyone makes allegations with a lot of vehemence... making it seem Interesting, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoenchimXapotam/ after stoking up all the initial trouble, and instigating one another, seems to be particularly silent at this point of time! I would urge those interested in this issue (yawn!) to check out the quality of discussions being promoted on a list where insulting the next person down the street seems to be the best kind of values to be promoted in cyberspace. The real test of this entire issue of course faces someone like Dr Cornel Da Costa, who accuses me of promoting corruption on the basis of what now turns out to be a tongue-in-cheek and humour article! So far, the long-time sociologist and researcher, who ought to have known better, has just skirted the issue that his entire set of allegations against someone is based on untruth and "humour". I don't expect an apology, but just an approach from that would enable him to be at peace with himself after all this: "Unfortunately, I am only now able to respond to the totally unexpected info (at least for me) that good old Frederick Noronha lay at the heart of the rejection racket whilst taking good care not to be discovered as the villain of the piece. Coincidentally, just after Cecil's disclosure about Frederick Noronha's role vis a vis Goanet..." It is all the more ironic because I've long believed in free speech and paid the price for promoting it. Over the past 14 years, we have seen the power of the Net in building. Now we're seeing it's power in destroying, when used with mal-intents. Sandeep, I thank you for your intents in building peace, but your reading of how I respond to the situation here is completely, completely off target. FN -- FN * Independent Journalist http://fn.goa-india.org M: +91-9822122436 P: +91-832-2409490
