Posted by gabbii on July 14, 2005, at 20:44:07
In reply to Re: Lou's thanks to gabbi-wldn » Lou Pilder, posted by gabbii on July 14, 2005, at 20:30:40
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20041109/msgs/422001.html
Lou Pilder on November 29, 2004, at 15:08:36
In reply to Re: Lou's request to Dr. Hsiung » Lou Pilder, posted by Toph on November 29, 2004, at 10:18:02
Toph,
You wrote,[...he inexplicably blocked her...It seems so caprecious to me...In Auchwitz the guards used to execute people at random...to maintain...fear.Perhaps there's some of that going on here. Whenever things get ...unruly-exterminate someone-not because it is justified, but because you can...]. Then you wrote to me, [holocaust surviver who said...indifference...to the small ...injustices that led to the genocide...] and, [...this small injustice that he (Dr Hsiung) has...perpetrated on Susan...].
After reading both of your posts, I have some questions that if they are answered, could allow me to have a better understanding of your two posts . Could you examine the following and perhaps answer some of the questions that I have? If you could ,then I could have the opportunity to respond accordingly.
A. Are you saying that Dr. Hsiung acted in a caprecious manner, such as what you think concerning Susan here, and this could lead to another nazi holocaust?
B. Are you saying that Dr. Hsiung singled out Susan randomly to create an atmosphere of fear here?
C. Are you saying that The block of Susan is equivalant to the extermination of a person?
D. Are you saying that Dr. Hsiung can do unjustified things to posters here?
Lou
Toph-fer-extrm's reply to » Lou Pilder, posted by Toph on November 29, 2004, at 15:33:51
I'd like to weigh in on this one. I didn't see the original post you wrote, but if it is accurately quoted in this thread ("...In Auchwitz the guards used to execute people at random...to maintain...fear.Perhaps there's some of that going on here. Whenever things get ...unruly-exterminate someone-not because it is justified, but because you can..."), I think there is an issue with it and I'd like to explain why I see it this way and why this mention of the Holocaust is not in the same category as the duty to remember that was conveyed by the Survivor you mentioned.
The reason I believe this is that when I read your post, the comparison to the horror of Auchwitz comes across to me as one that is way out of proportion to the question of whether Dr. Bob was fair in blocking someone from this board, and therefore comes across to me as not acknowledging the magnitude of the Holocaust. To me, the Holocaust (which hits home in a personal way for me, but I would say that other major tragedies-- including, all too unfortunately as we know, other genocides that have occured and are still occuring--would also fall into this category) is so serious that invoking it as an analogy need be reserved for rare and serious occasions, lest the analogy come across as trivializing it or dismissing the magnitude of the tragedy. Which is to say that I agree with the Survivor you mentioned who said we should never forget, but I also feel strongly that something like this needs to be treated with a great deal of respect.
I don't think it was your intent to trivialize what happened at Auchwitz or in other settings during the Holocaust, but I hope that I have explained well why the effect of the use of the analogy COULD come across that way.
I also want to say that I really do not believe Dr. Bob's decision on blocking deserves to be compared to the unimaginable terror perpetrated by guards at Auchwitz, or that his intentions deserve to be seen in such an evil light. You have a right to express your opinion about Dr. Bob's decision and even what you think his intentions might be (although when assuming intentions, we all get into very tricky territory, especially using this form of communication), but I think it would come across better to me (and others?) if you would express these without invoking such powerful and painful images.
This is all, of course, JMO, but I hope that I have adequately explained why I do think the reference to Auchwitz might be problematic in this instance.
Noa
poster:gabbii
thread:525619
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050628/msgs/527763.html