Klarinet Archive - Posting 000727.txt from 2004/11

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Happy Thanksgiving
Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 23:17:35 -0500

On 29 Nov, orm1ondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya) wrote:

> Several people wrote:
>
> > I read and understood the question same as you, Dan.
>
> I've tried to avoid being a grump, and I've tried to hold my tongue, but
> perhaps it's better to talk it out.....
>
> I *also* understood Mathew's question to be a historical question, and I
> have already reassured Matthew off-list that I don't find anything
> negative in his question.
>
> But look at what happened in addition to the historical explanations (by
> several people) and after I described a 'typical' American observance in
> reply to Matthew's question.
>
> Did even one other person respond with their own good wishes for a happy
> holiday? Nope. The only comments (besides the historical answers)
> were about how colonists abused native Indians (which they *did* do
> eventually), about Bush's ideological conceits (which I do not defend),
> and so forth.
>
> What happened to the holiday spirit, to being thankful for the blessings
> that we *do* have, and so forth? Did colonial mistreatment and Bush
> make the holiday spirit impossible? That's what was grinding on my
> nerves.
>
> Best regards to all,
> Ormond

Well, I can go along with that. Happy Thanksgiving, Ormond, and thank you
for your own good spirit and generosity.

...and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Without wanting to spoil that at all, it's an interesting illustration of the
power of context to see the effect of giving X various values in the
statement:

"On this special holiday, I would like to give sincere and heartfelt thanks
for being X."

Try:

(1) healthy, having enough to eat, and having friends and loved ones around
me.

(2) healthy, having enough to eat, having friends and loved ones around me,
and being American.

(3) American.

(4) a citizen of America: 'the greatest nation, full of the most decent
people, on the face of the earth' (George W Bush).

(5) a Jew, one of the chosen people.

(6) British.

(6) Tony Pay.

The positive or negative effects of each of these statements resides entirely
in the context in which it is viewed. I think the thread took its downward
turn when someone first read number 2 in a negative way. (Notice also that
many people may be able to read my own contribution, number 4, in an entirely
positive way:-)

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd tony.p@-----.org
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
tel/fax 01865 553339

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