Hi Darice, There's no arguing with anyone's feelings so thank you for sharing them. It's much better I think to have reactions "out there" instead of as little zingers later on that are confusing and start gumming up the works between people.
Are you reacting to the exchange between Kakki and me regarding differences in the way people in different parts of the country seem to regard politics? (Sorry, Kakki, for again mentioning you; it doesn't seem avoidable here.) In that message, I made some GENERAL observations in response to Kakki's comment that PERHAPS people in the Northeast take politics more seriously than people in California. I relayed my friend's experience knowing that, of course, he was not speaking about everyone in California; my mention of him not meeting Kakki was an attempt to convey that and, yes, I know, Stanford is one of the toughest schools in the country to get into. Similarly, Kakki's specific example was mentioning her relatives in NJ who take politics very seriously and yet I know that not everyone here feels that way. Overall, I thought our conversation was more about GENERALITIES and POSSIBILITIES with a sense of WONDERING and MUSING and MAYBE about it all. I do accept that you took my comments as a personal insult, Darice. I don't even know where you live, though, so how can I be talking about you specifically? Again, I'm not saying it didn't feel that way to you, just that it was not my intent to cause you to feel that way. That (as I saw it) general conversation was much different (in my opinion) than the very specific negative labeling some people on list feel/felt targeted with, which is how that discussion got started in the first place. Also, wondering about the West/East coast differences is a topic that's been discussed before several times, and I don't remember anyone getting upset about it. Perhaps in the current atmosphere my comments came across as harsher and more judgmental than they would have during more relaxed times. Be that as it may, my words and intent were unclear and for that I apologize. There's always room for improvement in that area. Debra Shea Darice wrote: > > I am amazed that the listmembers who have had such a problem with generalizations of > the American people, and who object to labeling or boxing others, have not responded > to the idea that those of us who live on the West Coast, especially in California, > are not as intellectual as those of us who reside in the Northeast, and NYC. > <snip> > I feel (there's that word again) as if I have been "labeled" a bleached blonde, > bubble-headed surfer girl lying in the sun, while the others (more highly evolved) > of the species migrate to the East Coast to offer their political "advice" to the > rest of the world. > <snip> > I am deeeply offended by that statement which has been largely ignored by those on > the list who have been so vocal on other subjects lately.
