Re: [OT] if not here, where to go for political discussion?

[Jordan Hirsch <trombaedu...>]

on 4/27/02 1:01 PM, Ari Davidow at ari (at) ivritype(dot)com wrote:

> I respond as someone who is somewhat disillusioned as to the likelihood of
> getting a group of disparate strangers to discuss meaningful political issues
> online in a manner that is discussive and respectful, or even satisfying (as
> opposed to the usual shouting one at the other). After fifteen years online, I
> do not want to build up anyone's expectations that this is even as easy as
> putting together a group of people who meet face to face to discuss difficult
> political issues.
> 
> But, this list (jewish-music) is hosted by Shamash, which hosts another 500
> lists of Jewish interest. You can review the names of those that are public at
> http://shamash.org/help/listoflists.shtml . I would be surprised if there were
> not a few political lists of various slants worth trying out.
If I may suggest, since I was one of the first to throw my hat in on this
issue, that perhaps discussing politics is not the issue so much as
discussing our personal view of politics divorced from the music which is
the danger. for example, Shira's citation of the relationship between
Shostakovich and the Soviet heirarchy, especially with regard to "Laby
Macbeth," is an indispensible discussion. But fighting over our views of the
particulars of Sharon's policy in Jenin would lead to the dangers with which
Ari is correctly concerned. An example from the opposite end would be the
poster who stated that he is Jewish but anti Zionist might be someone I
could oppose, but I will not do so on this list, as that would be the airing
of views which are not pertinent to our discussion of Jewish music. It
requires discipline and restraint, but perhaps our discussions of other
controversial subjects may have trained us to sort out the relevant and
irrelevant issues.

Jordan Hirsch 

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