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BURMANET: HERDING THE GOATS



/* Written 28 Oct 11:00am 1998 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* --------------" BurmaNet:Herding the Goats "--------------- */

BURMANET: HERDING THE GOATS
***************************
Recently, there has been an unprecedented decision by BurmaNet
coordinators to screen the postings on its list. It is an
understandable response by BurmaNet coordinators to save the
list from becoming what appears to be a mud-slinging forum by
the unruly Burmese mobs. On the other hand, it is not entirely
good decision for all BurmaNet subscribers to be being limited,
even as a form of screening, in expressing what they believe
as important issues. After all, the special arrangement for a
free and uncontrolled exchange of information among the
subscribers is that making BurmaNet uniquely different from
the other mailing lists.

Unfortunaly, the problem of attacking person or personality on a
public forum seems to be uncontrollable,  especially with the
Burmese. I have often felt embarrassed by our compatriots'
behaviour. Partly, this problem is arising from some Burmese
activists' inability to distinguish between the political and
personal issue. Also, there is problem in understanding one's own
right and respecting the rights of others; striking the balance
between exercising one's own right to freedom of speech and
respecting the others peoples' right to live in dignity.

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
*********************
In most western democracies, the public generally treat with
cynicism about the "political correctness" of the politicians.
Then again, the public will have total abhorrence of the
politicians taking seriously of a "politically incorrect" view
and promoting divisive and oppressive policies against the
marginalized in the society. In other words, the politicians
are not to exploit the vulnerable and marginalized within the
society for their own political ends. This is primarily to be
considered as the understanding of political power and the
responsibility on those who acquired power within a society.
The correct politics is the one that can foster a cohesive
and stable society. To put it simply, the "political correctness"
is required in politics because it is correct politically.

Likewise on BurmaNet, each subscriber does have the power
to communicate, without restraint, to all others on the list.
With this power, there is the responsibility to respect the
dignity of others on the list. For example, one person
posting message with the foul and obscene language can
immediately offend many readers on the list. The public
internet forum is not the place for settling one's personal
grudge against another person or an organization. It is in
the interest of the public, and to the extent is allowable,
to criticize the incompetence and expose corruptions. However,
these things has to be done properly and in a civilized
manner. In other words, those who advocate on the internet
should exercise their power in a way that is "politically
correct". One must understand, at least, doing the public
advocacy on internet is different from making personal
gossip. Otherwise, undue personal attack will promote
chaos within the list and we will no longer have a viable 
forum for our communication.

NO COWBOY POLITICS ON THE NET
******************************
In those western classic movies, a gun-fighter has to shoot
and kill another to become a greater gun-fighter. However,
there can be no such thing as "cowboy politics" on the
Net. Let's have no doubt about this: No one will receive
the respect and admiration on this list by unduly
attacking and defaming another activist or an organization.

Rather disconcerting, but forgivable to some extent, was
someone making promotion of oneself on the Net. It is nothing
wrong, of course, in sharing the successes, experiences,
thoughts and values among the list subscribers. But it is
rather childish to solicit the netters' support, sometimes
by arranging frodulent email accounts on the Net (the
HOTMAIL and YAHOO are instrumental to this purpose). This
problem is the probable confusion of internet mailing list
with traditional news media, such as a newspaper. Unlike
a newspaper, a mailing list on the internet, by itself, does
not carry any credibility, but the individual users do.
In contrast to a normal newspapers, the message being
communicated on a list, such as on BurmaNet-l, cannot
automatically become credible and becoming trustworthy.
The users will judge the credibility of the communications
based on the factual contents and originating sources.
Therefore, someone comspiring of being popular on an
internet mailing list, that is to say, probably means nothing.

TEN DUTIES
**********
In ancient Buddhist scriptures, there has been the ten
duties of king that could be applied to modern form of
government. In a way, this "Ten Duties of King" can also
be consider as a guideline for anyone who exercises
his/her power. Advocating on Internet (i.e. sending an
email message to a list), in fact, is a form of exercising
power. One may be surprised to find in those guidelines
about how to be "politically correct" in exercising power.
Following some interpretation of the Ten Duties from ASSK's
"Freedom from Fear":

        "[K]indness(maddava) in a rule is in a sense the
        courage to feel concern for the people. It is
        undeniably easier to ignore the hardships of those
        who are too weak to demand their rights than to
        respond sensitively to their needs. To care is to
        accept responsibility, to dare to act in accordance
        with the dictum that the ruler is the strength of
        the helpless...."

For those who still cannot escape their minds from the
personal grudges, their unfitness to exercise any form of
power can be clearly seen in the following:

        "[T]he seventh, eighth and ninth duties -- non-anger
        (akkodha), non-violence(avihamsa) and forebearance
        (khanti)--could be said to be related.....must not
        allow personal feelings of enmity and ill will to
        erupt into destructive anger and violence. It is
        incumbent on a ruler to develop the true forbearance
        which moves him to deal wisely and generously with
        the shortcomings and provocations of even those
        whom he could crush with impunity...."

It is destructive for activists and politicians to have anger
--holding personal grudges against someone--that can cloud
the real issues in politics. In the same manner, forbearance
is also needed for anyone who engaging in politics. These
consideration are relevant, even in the most simplest case
of exercising power for sending and replying an email message
to an Internet mailing list.

As a long time contributor and subscriber of the BurmaNet-l, I 
must say that it takes long time and considerable efforts by many 
responsible people to build-up a viable and free-forum, such 
as BurmaNet-l. It is the responsibility for all, especially
the contributors, to ensure the BurmaNet-l remains to operate
in an open and free atmosphere.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.
___________________________________________________________________
!                     drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx                         !
!          http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~uneoo              !
!                    ***** NOW ALSO ON *****                      !
! http://freeburma.org/ (A one stop homepage for all Burma info.) !
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