Re: german harps etc

["Anthony P. Costine" <acostine@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Anthony,

I really wish we could let this drop now.  There IS another point of 
view beside yours regarding the politics of the latest overseas 
exploits of the USA, and my country too, the UK, whether you find that 
palatable or not - but at any rate this kind of stuff, whether 
emanating from people you disagree with or from you yourself, simply 
has no place on this list.  I have always, with very few exceptions, 
found harp-l to be a positive and upbeat place to air views about all 
things harmonica, and I hate to see it being degraded in this way.  I 
have written to owner harp-l to express this view and to express the 
wish that this kind of angle applied to harp-l discussion should be 
nipped in the bud.

Steve Shaw.


Hey Steve, just to kind of set the record straight, I did let it drop. 
Did you write to what's his name and tell  him that he shouldn't've 
dredged up a week old topic that generated bad feelings, and was very 
offensive to more than a few people here? Yes, there is another point 
of view. I certainly acknowledge that. What I don't acknowledge is this 
whole idea that these other people can say things that are out of line 
or over the top and then when someone is offended by it and responds 
(as I did), suddenly the responder is the bad guy who needs to be 
censored. If I need to be censored on this topic (and I'm sure I 
do...it's a deeply ingrained thing and the way things are going in the 
world right now I think that someone--indeed lots of someones--needs to 
stand up and remind the world just how good the USA is. I find it kind 
of offensive that I've gotten lots of private "atta boy" notes from 
people who apparently don't want to find themselves getting publicly 
ripped by you.
Further, for harp content: I challenge anyone to tell me what great 
blues harp player came out of Iraq under Saddam, or North Korea, or 
wherever.
And, special note to the Listowner, who I have all the respect in the 
world for: I'm sick and tired of this whole bunch of garbage. If you 
want me to stop defending myself, you need to establish that this whole 
topic is off-limits. Because I'm not going to let this stuff pass 
anymore at all. If you feel you need to unsubscribe me from the list 
because I refuse to lay down and let people like this walk all over me, 
that's more than fair and fine with me.
But I'm not going to stop defending my country against...well, against 
other people who seem to be jealous or just misinformed.


From: "Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>
Date: Mon May 24, 2004  7:34:03 PM US/Eastern
To: acostine@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: german harps etc

Anthony,

I really wish we could let this drop now.  There IS another point of 
view beside yours regarding the politics of the latest overseas 
exploits of the USA, and my country too, the UK, whether you find that 
palatable or not - but at any rate this kind of stuff, whether 
emanating from people you disagree with or from you yourself, simply 
has no place on this list.  I have always, with very few exceptions, 
found harp-l to be a positive and upbeat place to air views about all 
things harmonica, and I hate to see it being degraded in this way.  I 
have written to owner harp-l to express this view and to express the 
wish that this kind of angle applied to harp-l discussion should be 
nipped in the bud.

Steve Shaw.