I'd like to add a couple of cautionary notes...
First, while I do think it's always helpful for posters to make their points
clearly and distinctly, doing so is certainly not the norm on this forum,
especially when there are strongly held beliefs or positions. I believe that
calmly asking for clarity is a good thing, but that we take care that such
requests are made more often so that when such occurs for a touchy subject
it doesn't appear to be an attempt to quash discussion -- which I don't
believe it is.
Second, I'm surprised that there would be a sudden demand for a person's
background in order to evaluate or determine how to view a post. Certainly
people occasionally forget to list their neighborhood and when that happens
usually the moderator gently reminds them (and us all), but it's another
thing entirely to insist on more. Introductions are voluntary and must
remain so. If someone wants to know more about another's connection to or
knowledge about an issue, they may ask politely (and I would prefer if it
were done privately), but of course should consider it reasonable if someone
refused to provide it. As readers, we can believe, disbelieve, argue, or
agree with posters as we choose, but demanding credentials with posts is not
what this forum is about, nor should it be. Just because we do or do not
know someone who's posting on an issue doesn't have anything to do with what
they have to say.
Finally, I welcome this discussion about privilege and access to decision
makers/making. As a school board member and public involvement consultant in
my real life, this is an extraordinarly important issue -- one of the most
critical of our time -- and what I will offer is that underrepresented
groups don't get to the table through passive invitations, best intentions,
or anything remotely approaching the status quo. And underrepresented means
just that: people who are "stakeholders" but whose voices aren't being
heard. By not recognizing the significance of this and by doing nothing to
improve it, we are doing a grave disservice to our community in both the
present and the future.
-- Anne
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Anne R. Carroll
Carroll, Franck & Associates
Public Involvement, Strategic Planning, Communications
1357 Highland Parkway
St. Paul, MN 55116 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
651-690-9162 School Board: 651-690-9156
"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." -- Martin Luther
King, Jr.
"...You will be more credible and you will be more powerful if you do not
separate the lives you live from the words you speak." -- Paul Wellstone
"A politician worries about the next election. A true states[wo]man worries
about the next generation, and children yet unborn." - e.e. cummings
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