Post by Ceci on Apr 8, 2007 0:10:56 GMT -5
In my years of posting, I have been very honored to be a part of communities that were life-affirming and generous to their members. They were very accepting regardless of life-style, heritage, sexual orientation and cultural background. They made it their mission to have a comfortable place in which people can participate in 'real talk' without being intimidated by those who want to foster one narrow view.
Unfortunately, the simple thought of courtesy and conscience became apparent to me all too clear when I became a member of a particular forum that had a large clientele of members. On this particular forum, they purported that they were "tolerant of all voices", but had a little problem with discussing race, ethnicity and culture. In fact, they refused to talk about it all. In that guise, any member of color or those who welcomed diversity into their lives were abruptly cut off or ignored.
That doesn't sound very tolerant to you, does it?
The worst of the matter is that when the talk became very pointed about the disparities of treatment in regards to the forum, the discussion was either "cut off" or the threads "closed" for the sake of keeping the careful balance of "neutrality". They especially made it their mission to attack and penalize people for discussing issues of diversity.
You don't have to worry about that here. We're open about catering to the needs of people who like diversity. That means, we have an open policy to welcome anyone from any background. They will have a voice in a kind community which welcomes them. And in making things welcome, no one will be "cut off" or "accused of being on a soap box" here.
We want to discuss diversity in all its permutations whether it has to do with different racial backgrounds to the various sexual orientations. And if there is a need to put up a sub-forum for the threads that talk about particular concerns, then it can be discussed in board business.
Of course, drama happens on a board, but discussing diversity or empathy does not ever take away from intellectual talk. It makes us aware of our humanity.
And as time goes on, there will be a specific policy regarding cultural awareness, worked upon by staff and members on this board.
And talk about cultural awareness will never be like getting blood from a turnip here. It can be discussed by not only the staff and the members in the guise of not only making it a fruitful place for discussion, but in making sure that there is an empathy for everyone who comes here.
Let discussing diversity never be a liability in making a life-affirming and caring community.
Unfortunately, the simple thought of courtesy and conscience became apparent to me all too clear when I became a member of a particular forum that had a large clientele of members. On this particular forum, they purported that they were "tolerant of all voices", but had a little problem with discussing race, ethnicity and culture. In fact, they refused to talk about it all. In that guise, any member of color or those who welcomed diversity into their lives were abruptly cut off or ignored.
That doesn't sound very tolerant to you, does it?
The worst of the matter is that when the talk became very pointed about the disparities of treatment in regards to the forum, the discussion was either "cut off" or the threads "closed" for the sake of keeping the careful balance of "neutrality". They especially made it their mission to attack and penalize people for discussing issues of diversity.
You don't have to worry about that here. We're open about catering to the needs of people who like diversity. That means, we have an open policy to welcome anyone from any background. They will have a voice in a kind community which welcomes them. And in making things welcome, no one will be "cut off" or "accused of being on a soap box" here.
We want to discuss diversity in all its permutations whether it has to do with different racial backgrounds to the various sexual orientations. And if there is a need to put up a sub-forum for the threads that talk about particular concerns, then it can be discussed in board business.
Of course, drama happens on a board, but discussing diversity or empathy does not ever take away from intellectual talk. It makes us aware of our humanity.
And as time goes on, there will be a specific policy regarding cultural awareness, worked upon by staff and members on this board.
And talk about cultural awareness will never be like getting blood from a turnip here. It can be discussed by not only the staff and the members in the guise of not only making it a fruitful place for discussion, but in making sure that there is an empathy for everyone who comes here.
Let discussing diversity never be a liability in making a life-affirming and caring community.