"Dave Van" wrote in message link.net...
"Tinkerntom" wrote in message
m...
Wilko, I welcomed you to this particular section of this thread. I had
seen some of your post in other sections, and only wanted to say hi,
since I had not previously met you. No offense met or exclusiveness
pretended. Again, Hi and Welcome. That you have been a member of this
paddling community as you say, "for the better part of ten years, and
active participant for about seven years now," I am also glad to know.
We need all the old salts we can get!

Also that you are interested in US politics, I think is great! We need
you to hold the mirror, so that we can see how others see us. I would
just ask that you hold it still! When you get all worked up, your hand
shakes, and it sounds like you have some partisan biases, and liberal
bends! Sort of distorts the view!

Excuse me but how did you decide that Wilko should be unbiased? Has he no
right to an opinion or a to take a particular stance because he's not
American?

Oh, wait, I understand now. His views do not sit well with you, therefore he
should not express them.

Whatever.

Dave, I don't recall saying that Wilko should be unbiased. On the
contrary, I welcomed his participation. I am not opposed to his bias,
in fact his bias is the mirror that we can examine ourselves in. We
need his input, we value what he has to say.

However, in the aliteration of holding a mirror for someone else, the
holder has to hold the mirror steady. There is a certain amount of
distortion in the best of mirrors, for example Hubble, that is the
bias. Now if the mirror is being jerked around, that has nothing to do
with bias. That would just be meaness, and would render the mirror
useless, to both parties. I can deal with the bias, but if someone is
just being mean and cantankerous, they would just be wasting our time.

Now I am not saying that Wilko was even doing that, and that is why I
was more than happy to write a lengthy post to him. I am glad for the
foreign commentary. I am concerned should there be any advocatation
for overthrowing or causing harm to our wonderful country. There has
been some from other posters, encouraging the destruction of US and
forming, US of Canada. That is going beyond the bounds of a civil
discussion. I have not heard such from Wilko.

What I have heard, is a one voice from a very large geopolitical area,
and I by no means feel that he represents even the majority where he
is. If he chooses to voice his opinion for whatever motivation, he is
free to do so. And we are free to filter, and adjust for the
distortion of the mirror. But please don't be mean. I am enjoying the
conversation to much, hold the mirror steady.

Thanks, Tinkerntom, aka KnesisKnosis, Live, Live it!