The thread "White People's Place in Hip Hop Culture" has sparked a lot of interesting and worthwhile discussion. It has also sparked a lot of anger, aggression and misunderstanding. Obviously, this board is not a democracy, but I would be interested, and perhaps BooDaah would too, to learn from each of you who post and/or lurk on Activist your opinion on whether the value of the discussion outweighs the hurtful nature of the misunderstandings.
What do you think? Should the thread be deleted? Thoughts?
Peace.
~ ~ ~ All meetings end in separation All acquisition ends in dispersion All life ends in death - The Buddha
The post should not be deleted. The whole point of this board IS to spark conversation and get ppl to examine what they believe. I am hurt sometimes by what is said on the boards, but just cuz ppl are hurt by what they read, or offended by the opinion of another, that doesn't give us a right to censor them. Sure, there has to be a line drawn about how we approach an intelligent conversation, ppl are here to learn and grow, but silencing a poster will only hurt them and take away the little freedom that they have here.
i agree with Dulce on this. no matter who this may be offending...deleting it wouldn't be against the purpose of the board. it is also nice to see other peoples opinion...whether or not it parallels mine. that is the truth, whether we like it or not...and if we don't want to see people true feelings on a topic, don't open the thread.
i also liked the censorship point...for a culture that is censored by everyone and everything in media...i think we would just be hurting ourselves by censoring ourselves, in our own discussion forum
thas what i gotta say...peace.
"drinking water out the well of life then i'ma piss it back rusty"-El-P
2. "Even an angry debate" In response to Reply # 0
has some value here. There is a lot to be learned from watching others argue over issues that they feel passionately about. This is true even if the two people debating don't seem to be getting anything out of it themselves. In a public forum like this, we can learn a lot just by observing and listening sometimes.
Issues like race tend to spark anger, and stir up feelings. This is especially true when you have a group of people from diverse cultural, economic, and spiritual backgrounds (like the group here) coming together. Nobody said that a conversation across the chasm of race was going to be easy. But is it valuable? Hell yes.
**************************************** Whites in Hip Hop was the topic , I read through half of the responses and only 10% dealt with the topic.When it becomes an arguement between people that don't have anything to do with the topic ,it should be deleted.
17. "RE: Try readin it again, Shelly" In response to Reply # 11
**************************************** Okay I change my mind. I read some more messages and they are interesting and informative My Top Ten Prince Songs
i think that in the long run, the back-and-forth that's been going on w/in that particular thread will do somebody some good.
just sayin'.
~~wbg~~ AIM: wbgirl218
http://www.breastcancer3day.org between this and the (re), Chicago in 2001 will be on some whole new fantabulous shyt! (c) me
August as Quotewhoulike Month (c) me: "Freedom is when the people can speak, democracy is when the government listens." (c) Alastair Farrugia
~~wbg~~ "I pray sometimes to keep my head together, because you can use prayer however you want. There are no rules one way or the other." --Jami Attenberg
I agree with everyone, pro and con. That's my dilemma.
I think that healthy, even angry, debate is soooo good! We get to see other people's viewpoints, we learn what people are passionate about.
But...it seems like this particular thread is somewhat toxic. It seems like every time someone walks away for a while and then comes back and takes a look at it, they say to themselves, "Whoa! That's a personal attack on ME!" and post something really reactive.
Can we learn from the reactiveness? I think so. Are we willing to?
Peace.
~ ~ ~ All meetings end in separation All acquisition ends in dispersion All life ends in death - The Buddha
hurt feelings aside, i see no reason to delete te post.
i've asked that people be respectful, and i warned that instances of guideline violations will be handled as they come.
this forum is here for the debate of topics/opinions which to some might be painful to read, but sometimes you gotta look through the namecalling and withstand a little bull to see the underlying point.
actually, i was thinking of that series of postings as a candidate for the archives.
------QUOTE STARTS HERE------ BooDaah-OkayActivist Moderator ** PLEASE READ THE POSTING GUIDELINES: http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines.html ----------------------------- Sister SheRise's Activist Stew Recipe: Step1:inform yourself step/Step2:inform others/Step3:discuss the problem/Step4: DISCUSS SOLUTIONS/Step5:EXECUTE SOLUTIONS/Step6:evaluate the results/Step7:start over at 1 until desired result is accomplished. -----------------------------
10. "RE: OkayPlayer Poll" In response to Reply # 0
I purposely sidestepped the referenced post. Now I know why. But I read it- just so I could respond here. It was..... Did I learn anything? Sure: some times people can't see past their emotion and own ignorance to see other peoples truths..... Janey's peaceful resolves becomes more and more evident with each and every post.....Boodah should never leave us alone.... having respect for the next poster will alleviate the need for Boo's "steppin in" and the occurence of brutally hurt feelings......
Every post has significance - except for maybe the D'angelo baby mama drama. That could have used some censoring.
But EVERY post buys priceless lessons. The dream of life is truth and then we act and do things accordingly (Zora Neal Hurston). What are YOUR truths? - Another post.....
I Love ALL - ok, maybe - MOST- ok - ALL of yawl at Okay Ack-tivist - even when we ack-tin like chillun! (Southern word for "children")
Not that I approve of censorship, but I think it's really gone far from where it started. I didn't even think it belonged on the activism board. Let them debate it to death on the Lesson. I've been in far too many of the white folks in hip hop debates. I'm interested in Black, Brown, and Yellow folks in hip hop. I've dealt way too much with just one aspect of it.
Now why don't we ask about white kids that come into black political groups? I know this was an issue back in the day, but I'm sure many folks have some questions to ask their fellow Mumia marchers.
I think the whole protest thing is getting trendy as my Gen (Malcolm) X and the Gen Y get out there.
that's funny. i don't believe in censorship, but censor that
>I didn't even >think it belonged on the >activism board.
if only for the reason that racial matters are very important issue, it should stay. being "active" in the effort of expression as it were.
>I've been >in far too many of >the white folks in hip >hop debates.
there is a method to the madness. if we let everybody get their points out we can avoid rehash in the futrue by pointing folk to the archives. sneaky huh?
>Now why don't we ask about >white kids that come into >black political groups?
in a way that's what the post IS about. to me (for what my opinion is worth) hiphop is a political tool. or at least it COULD be. bringing up that point on the thread in question would add to that discussion and take away from all the rather petty fussing that lies therein (**hint-hint**).
------QUOTE STARTS HERE------ BooDaah-OkayActivist Moderator ** PLEASE READ THE POSTING GUIDELINES: http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines.html ----------------------------- Sister SheRise's Activist Stew Recipe: Step1:inform yourself step/Step2:inform others/Step3:discuss the problem/Step4: DISCUSS SOLUTIONS/Step5:EXECUTE SOLUTIONS/Step6:evaluate the results/Step7:start over at 1 until desired result is accomplished. -----------------------------
14. "this must be a first..." In response to Reply # 0
a post regarding the life of another post?
y'all seriusly crack me up. freakin post "survivor".
what'll y'all come up with next?
------QUOTE STARTS HERE------ BooDaah-OkayActivist Moderator ** PLEASE READ THE POSTING GUIDELINES: http://www.okayplayer.com/guidelines.html ----------------------------- Sister SheRise's Activist Stew Recipe: Step1:inform yourself step/Step2:inform others/Step3:discuss the problem/Step4: DISCUSS SOLUTIONS/Step5:EXECUTE SOLUTIONS/Step6:evaluate the results/Step7:start over at 1 until desired result is accomplished. -----------------------------
Anytime we deal with a divisive issue, such as race, the debate gonna get heated. I just hope that some of us learn to better express ourselves and try and understand other perspectives. But in reality, some people are gonna push buttons and spew their beliefs just to evoke a response. I can't honestly say that that is "bad" for the board, eventhough I agree it does not contribute to constructive communication.
I stayed away from that post on purpose and y'all almost made me go read it. I say almost because I got through the first dozen or so messages and just gave up. I concluded that there was no apparent reason to delete the post. Maybe it's controversial and maybe it's a wee bit divisive, but it seems to be healthy.
Why? Because someone is always trying to revisit this topic. I was in a similar discussion last year on the General Board that was archived and I really hoped that the subject would die with the definitive post on the topic that Koala Love made some time ago.
I have no problem with folks chatting frankly on the subject, but personally I'm tired of it. I think the whole discussion is born of insecurity and fear.
But that's just me. I'm probably wrong. Otherwise, no one would talk about it. And it's beyond obvious that heads continue to want to exchange ideas about it.
Sorry for the mild rant. Maybe this post right here should be deleted so everybody could be happy.
PEACE
The aspiring martyr
---I'm here---
Rally cry heard at the scene of the Democratic National Convention:
"Stop...Drop/ People gonna rise to the top/ Oh...No/ Let Mumia go!"
This thread, board and post(s) should stay. True there is a lot of controversy and hurt feelings, but we can't proceed to a solution if these type of matters are never addressed.
24. "whoOps...what's that???..." In response to Reply # 0
damned first amendment fallin upon me toes again...i did not read the aforemention'd thread...but i will say in honorin one's constitutional rights that even suggestin that people be regulated to respondin a particular way is counterproductive to the spirit of self-expression...if one violates another's rights...then that particular person's responses give cause to deletion...but to remit others to not bein able to is ludicrous
my rights end...where another's begin
"because marvin died the day before his birth is why i hurry"...jessica care moore
"If you can read this, thank a teacher" BUMPERSTICKER
25. "First amendment/censorship" In response to Reply # 24
Just for clarification: The first amendment doesn't apply to this site, because it is a privately operated business. The first amendment protects us from undue government interference in certain protected speech, including political speech. The speech involved in the thread is certainly political, but because deleting the thread would not be a government action, the first amendment would not apply. Today's civics lesson.
But I see what everyone's saying about censorship. Conversely, this is a "moderated" board and name calling posts get deleted.
My concern had nothing to do with the issues that were being posted about. My concern related strictly to the name calling and ad hominem attacks that were simultaneously going on, and which seemed to get stirred back up periodically. Now, of course, everyone is behaving like little ladies and gentlemen.
Peace.
~ ~ ~ All meetings end in separation All acquisition ends in dispersion All life ends in death - The Buddha
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