[Goanet] I bees childish but I want to know...
Frederick Noronha wrote: If you feel hurt over the debate, then you have an apology from me. RESPONSE: I think we've said enough to end several honeymoons not just one :-) So yes, let us smoke the peace pipe and move on. Eugene wrote: It is not only childish on Selma's part but rather foolish to let this debate take a toll on her. For someone who is British-educated, she should have understood that Cecil's column is humour. One can take liberties with the accents of one's own community. Check Russell Peters having a ball with Hinglish or a Margaret Cho wih Chinese English. RESPONSE I don't have anything against Cecil's column. I fully support the right of any writer or artist to express himself. Humour has that rare quality of being the last bastion of truth left in our otherwise politically correct and sanitised existence. The reason it is such a powerful tool is because at its heart lies a kernel of truth which we all recognise. We can laugh about it without feeling guilt or the need to feel ashamed of our thoughts. In the US, comedians like Jay Leno, Letterman and Bill Maher are more powerful than most seasoned journalists. More power to them. My point is only that we can't be hypocritcal. What's good for the goose is good for the gander and all that. Yes not just this debate but goanet has taken its toll on me. More so because of all the things you have taken the liberty to write about me over the past few months. For questioning my ability to do a job I am appointed to do, to sundry other needless matters. Goan men in general strike me as being terribly immature. Of course they make up for that by being humourous and knowing how to use paragraphs. Best, Selma --- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---
Re: [Goanet] I bees childish but I want to know...
Just to remind Selma, it is not me who started it all. You were obviously annoyed with me over my comments on the London Convention. In your fit of anger you went to the great length of mocking my operation. It was enough to convince me what type of a person you are. It was an uncharitable act and some have commented here on it. Your arrogance was there for all to see. It is now easy for you to engage in Selm(antics) and blame me, Fred, Cecil and perhaps others for your discomfort and distress. I admired your streetfighting qualities and you are a good opponent. You give back as much as you take. Sometimes in a fight the barbs and arrows go a little astray and hurt one's emotions. Once you enter a firepit you need to fight your way out. So, I was bit surprised that you starting moaning, and I understand you are weary from the battle over English. In fact, I am also having fatigue over this issue. I only wished many more goanetters had joined in. But as you know as much I do, the majority are either fence-sitters or sleepers. Didn't you say you are on goanet for a romp or for a laugh? If that's the case, then why ignite a debate on an issue that you are not sure of and raise a fiirestorm? You have once again made a reckless statement that all Goan men are immature. It is this sort of foo cares what-I-say attitude that invites criticism and then all hell breaks loose. May I ask if your husband is immature too or is he an exception? Excuse me if I take this liberty of asking you if you are wearing the pants at home. As for the heritage project, I have not doubted your ability to take on the work but I have expressed my view that Stella Mascarenhas-Keyes (I eagerly await her new book) would be a more suitable person. You replied that you are just going to handle administration. You can tell that to the travottis (no offence meant to them). You have talent and you can express yourself very well, no doubt about it. In my comments over Dale's review of your book, I said that you shouldn't stop with one book (or words to that effect). However, you need to get off the high horse. As I too put this issue behind me, I hope you recover and please take some vitamins (or get the Doc to prescribe something else) to regain your vigour. (Maybe for the next round of battle ;-)) I will continue to take my my non-prescribed prescription, as you asked me to). Smoking a peace pipe should be good. Eugene --- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---
[Goanet] I bees childish but I want to know...
I really want to know from Frederick why: 1. He bees the quiet in response to Cecil's Column? 2. Why at the time of Venita's column he did not feel inclined to make similar statements as he has made about me? Instead he felt inclined to disseminate that column all across the globe announcing to the world at large that Goans have poor language skills. 3. Why he agrees with Jerry Pinto who has essentially said the same thing as me - that without purpose and content you cannot alter the form of language.? Frederick distinctly says that he agrees with Jerry. Now, Goanetters may think I am being very childish here in insisting a response from Frederick. But so be it. I am very hurt by all this To be continually accused of elitism and as being detached from the realities of Goa has taken its toll on me. Before Frederick decided to derail the debate by bringing W.Drayton, Texas, NRIs who tell Goans how to do things and the usual come back and do something argument, I had an important point to make - a point more important than what Jerry Pinto (who Frederick obsequiously genuflects to...at least one Goan trait is not being eroded). The point was this: English is a language that needs support in Goa. We cannot assume that this language will be learnt to the standard that is required of it to be not only functional but a living, breathing language of commerce, science, art, literature and philosophy. We assume that this will happen automatically. This is a false assumption. Even English speaking countries like the UK and US are aware that language deteriorates without support. All of their primary education is geared not towards learning sciences, history or geography but towards really studying the language itself. Without a concerted effort in strengthening the language, we are indeed doing ourselves a great disfavour by making our children study and talk in a language which suffers from paucity of vocabulary and grammar in Goa. We Goans seem incapable of debating idea. We are only good at turning debates into personal battles. Frederick has known me a very long time and at a deeper level that most people on this forum would know me (save for Eddie Fernandes) and at the very least he should give me the benefit of the doubt that motives are not always superficial nor morally compromised. That perhaps just for once, I too am capable of assessing the situation in Goa and offering suggestions. Frederick puts videos out of racism in London. Well what Frederick is engaging in, is also discrimination. He uses stereotypes to evaluate the validity of people's positions. This is exactly what racism does. And if Cecil thinks I am being dramatic. So be it. I am dramatic and that's what makes me the person I am and I'd be a hell lot less interesting if I wasn't. So like it or lump it. I bees what I bees and am proud of it. Best, Selma --- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---
Re: [Goanet] I bees childish but I want to know...
Selma, I don't want to get into a dog-fight over this one. My actions are out there for everyone to see; if someone feels it is inconsistent, so be it! In addition, I don't want to go about justifying my stands re. Venita Coelho, Jerry Pinto or Cecil Pinto. Personally, I don't feel the need to be defensive about anything. Beyond that, it is for every reader, and you, to judge. Anyway, you have made your point on how you perceive the standard of English in Goa today (or among a section of Goans). In response, I've made my arguments over why I refuse to be pessimistic. In between, I got distracted and started enjoying *Why this kolavery kolavery di*. Terrible! Anyway, we need not debate our respective points ceaselessly. And I'm not suggesting that your motives are superficial or morally compromised. All that I'm saying is that my perspective on this issue varies drastically from yours. That's fine. Such perspectives can co-exist. Neither need be wholly correct or fully wrong too. If you feel hurt over the debate, then you have an apology from me. (Actually, I wouldn't have felt this way. We are all elitist and detached from realities -- not necessarily due to geography alone -- at some time or another. Anyone following the Regional Plan-panchayat debate going on in Saligao currently might not be inaccurate from suggesting that I am myself detached from realities here itself!) Going off at a tangent, my sincere thanks to the Goanetter who took my query of yesterday quite seriously, and responded to say that cut-and-paste in Konkani would best be rendered as: kator ani chittkai. Thanks to everyone who had the patience with this debate; I've made my point, and am willing to smoke the peace pipe. For now. FN --- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---
