Re: Oy Gevalt! (Part Two) Ones and Zeros

[Lionel Mrocki <amrocks...>]

Dear List,

I am reminded of the scene in Fiddler where Tevye says "... but on the other 
hand, she's right too!"

Human beings are often driven to make black and white analyses and decisions.  
Yet life in the real world is full of shades of grey.

I have seen many times where the list gets into heated discussion, and in 8/10 
times, it seems the subject matter is essentially off-topic.

I agree that the internet is an extraordinarily powerful tool for informing 
those of us living in comparitively safe places.  It is just as easily 
harnessed by those who may wish to spread dis-information.  I hasten to add I 
have no reason to doubt the spectre of the shifting sands in Italy, and it's 
impact on jewish life, and hence, jewish music and culture.

There are two unifying links between all list members.  The central one is that 
we have an interest in jewish music.  We may or may not be jewish.  We, no 
doubt, have a variety of differing political, social, sexual, educational, 
religious (etc, etc) backgrounds, positions and experiences.  These all have an 
influence on our creativity and receptivity in what we perform and listen to.

I have concerns that "justifiable" off-topic items have the effect of shifting 
the focus of the list and become the thin edge of the wedge making the list 
vulnerable to abuse by those with subject matter having far less substantive, 
or no, links to jewish music.  List members then often become alientated and 
disenchanted by the list, and what started out as a good thing, becomes a bad 
one.

The issues in Italy (and France, no doubt) are social and political at their 
core.  That is, the stone being cast in the pond is a political one, and the 
ripples are being felt in the jewish music world.  I can see that this is 
relevent to the big picture of jewish music, however the solutions to these 
issues are not musical, they are political.  This list is a jewish music list. 
The stones cast here should be jewish music ones.

Perhaps another list could be the key forum for the socio-political 
conversations, and in this (jewish music) list, a simple posting worded 
something like "Social and political change in Europe results in significant 
impact on jewish music, klezmer and jewish culture" with a link to the other 
(political/social/humanistic) list provided.

Thus this list can be made aware that there are these issues, but can be 
directed to hold the political discussion in a seperate forum, and leave this 
forum for primarily jewish music issues in nature.

The second link unifying all list members (FWIW) is that we are on the 
internet.  So internet-spread viruses and virus-related issues (especially 
Klez-worms!) are an off-topic issue which don't potentially inflame or alienate 
and, IMHO, may warrant a (very) few words from time to time (guilt-free).


And returning to Tevye mode....

On the other hand... sometimes I sleep in the lounge room, eat in my study, 
study at the dining room table, read in the bedroom... on the odd occasion I've 
washed cooking pots in the laundry trough and listened to music in the garage.  
I'm not going to mention what I've done in the shower!!  So sometimes things 
happen in one place that should, ideally, happen elsewhere!

Life is not always about ones and zeros, but maybe the internet can be!

Hope I haven't rambled too much... It's three a.m. and I must go to sleep... in 
the bedroom!



Eliott Kahn wrote:

> Francesco:
>
> Thank you for a first-hand account of what is happening in your beautiful 
> country. As someone whose historical specialization is Germany between the 
> wars, I find your report extremely disturbing.
>
> I personally believe that the internet is a very important tool in spreading 
> information; and as this is the only Jewish list I belong to, I believe that 
> such reports as yours definitely belong on this list.
>
> Political discussions can be people screaming at each other--something I'm 
> sure Ari and we all wish to avoid on this list. But anything that threatens 
> our basic freedoms as human beings--in this case Jewish human beings--is 
> absolutely necessary for us all to hear about.
>
> Here in America, we have always had the tendency to gloss over bad news, 
> because we live such safe, comfortable lives. We must all be vigilant now and 
> any first-hand reports on anti-semitic acts should be shared. ON THIS LIST.
>
> It would be foolish for us to throw away such a powerful network--and 
> potential support group--just because some incidents seem "political" and not 
> "musical." Anything that threatens our safety and right to freely express 
> ourselves is not a political issue, rather it is a humanistic issue.
>
> I say this in full respect of Ari's wishes, with the hope that he lightens 
> the reins for these important issues.
>
> Stay strong,
>
> Eliott Kahn
>

--
Regards,

Lionel Mrocki


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