[Vision2020] Devisiveness Must Stop
Tom Hansen
thansen@moscow.com
Tue, 11 Nov 2003 05:39:58 -0800
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Thank you, Jim Meyer, very very much. You have stated what many of us feel.
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Jim Meyer
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 11:28 PM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Devisiveness Must Stop
A few thoughts:
Divisiveness Must
Stop
It is shocking that anyone would vandalize a downtown business. The reason
people feel driven to resort to such behavior is because they feel
threatened and impotent. In this case, the main reason people feel
threatened is because a small but vocal part of a certain group of people
has painted their group as clearly intolerant to those who don’t belong to
the group. They use buzzwords like "heathen" and "government school" in a
sanctimonious way that can only be view as divisive. They make it entirely
clear that they are only concerned with themselves, and not (at all) with
the members of the community outside themselves. They do things like talk
about slavery in a way that anyone outside the group would consider, if not
racist, then interpretable as racist in modern society. They run for the
public office of school board but have obviously no intent of improving the
education of students outside the group. In fact, to those outside the
group, they make the whole group appear downright mean-hearted, selfish, and
now, as subtle racists.
For example, although the budget of the Moscow School district is a
concern, it reprehensible for anyone connected with Christ Church or Logos
School to be overly concerned. When Logos didn’t have a gym, they used the
Moscow Junior High. When Christ Church didn’t have a big enough facility,
they used the Moscow High School. Yes, they paid rent, but instead of saying
thanks, a small but vocal number of supporters of these two groups have gone
out of their way to be negative about the public school system. They use
negative buzzwords and offer continuous negative comments. They whine about
taxes but offer no productive solutions. Without pitching in and working to
help the entire community, it is obvious that some group members are only
concerned for themselves. To be blunt, until Logos accepts all students,
including those with serious mental, physical, and behavioral handicaps,
then those vocal group members have absolutely nothing to say worth hearing
about the cost of public education.
As I write this, I truly believe that almost nobody in Moscow has anything
against religious schools or private schools or vigorous church groups, but
what almost EVERYONE objects to is a group trying to recreate Moscow in it’s
own selfish image--based clearly on intolerance--and at the expense of
non-group members. AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THIS IS TRUE OR NOT,
BECAUSE IT IS THE APPEARANCE OF IT BEING TRUE THAT COUNTS.
As I see it, there is only one solution to the problem of divisiveness in
Moscow, and that is for Christ Church, Logos, and New St. Andrews to remove
from any position of importance, any persons who would apologize for slavery
or who coin such divisive terms as "government school." That is, of course,
if they want to have any respect at all from the greater community of
Moscow.
Perhaps, however, a week or two should charitably be given to the divisive
person to decide for himself if his place in the community and his job
security wasn’t worth reexamining his more strident views. If, for instance,
there is a clear repudiation of the co-mingling of religion and politics and
a clear repudiation of a certain pamphlet on slavery, and an end to divisive
rhetoric, then perhaps that person should stay. Everyone makes mistakes,
after all.
Sincerely,
Jim Meyer
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D028293813-11112003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Thank you, Jim=20
Meyer, very very much. You have stated what many of us=20
feel.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D028293813-11112003><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D028293813-11112003><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Tom =
Hansen</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D028293813-11112003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Moscow,=20
Idaho</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
vision2020-admin@moscow.com=20
[mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Jim=20
Meyer<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, November 10, 2003 11:28 PM<BR><B>To:</B> =
vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] Devisiveness =
Must=20
Stop<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>
<P>A few thoughts:</P>
<P> =
=20
=
=20
=
=20
<FONT =
size=3D5><STRONG>Divisiveness Must=20
Stop</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P>It is shocking that anyone would vandalize a downtown business. The =
reason=20
people feel driven to resort to such behavior is because they feel =
threatened=20
and impotent. In this case, the main reason people feel threatened is =
because=20
a small but vocal part of a certain group of people has painted their =
group as=20
clearly intolerant to those who don=92t belong to the group. They use =
buzzwords=20
like "heathen" and "government school" in a sanctimonious way that can =
only be=20
view as divisive. They make it entirely clear that they are only =
concerned=20
with themselves, and not (at all) with the members of the community =
outside=20
themselves. They do things like talk about slavery in a way that =
anyone=20
outside the group would consider, if not racist, then interpretable as =
racist=20
in modern society. They run for the public office of school board but =
have=20
obviously no intent of improving the education of students outside the =
group.=20
In fact, to those outside the group, they make the whole group appear=20
downright mean-hearted, selfish, and now, as subtle racists. </P>
<P>For example, although the budget of the Moscow School district is a =
concern, it reprehensible for anyone connected with Christ Church or =
Logos=20
School to be overly concerned. When Logos didn=92t have a gym, they =
used the=20
Moscow Junior High. When Christ Church didn=92t have a big enough =
facility, they=20
used the Moscow High School. Yes, they paid rent, but instead of =
saying=20
thanks, a small but vocal number of supporters of these two groups =
have gone=20
out of their way to be negative about the public school system. They =
use=20
negative buzzwords and offer continuous negative comments. They whine =
about=20
taxes but offer no productive solutions. Without pitching in and =
working to=20
help the entire community, it is obvious that some group members are =
only=20
concerned for themselves. To be blunt, until Logos accepts all =
students,=20
including those with serious mental, physical, and behavioral =
handicaps, then=20
those vocal group members have absolutely nothing to say worth hearing =
about=20
the cost of public education. </P>
<P>As I write this, I truly believe that almost nobody in Moscow has =
anything=20
against religious schools or private schools or vigorous church =
groups, but=20
what almost EVERYONE objects to is a group trying to recreate Moscow =
in it=92s=20
own selfish image--based clearly on intolerance--and at the expense of =
non-group members. AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THIS IS TRUE =
OR NOT,=20
BECAUSE IT IS THE APPEARANCE OF IT BEING TRUE THAT COUNTS. </P>
<P>As I see it, there is only one solution to the problem of =
divisiveness in=20
Moscow, and that is for Christ Church, Logos, and New St. Andrews to =
remove=20
from any position of importance, any persons who would apologize for =
slavery=20
or who coin such divisive terms as "government school." That is, of =
course, if=20
they want to have any respect at all from the greater community of =
Moscow.=20
</P>
<P>Perhaps, however, a week or two should charitably be given to the =
divisive=20
person to decide for himself if his place in the community and his job =
security wasn=92t worth reexamining his more strident views. If, for =
instance,=20
there is a clear repudiation of the co-mingling of religion and =
politics and a=20
clear repudiation of a certain pamphlet on slavery, and an end to =
divisive=20
rhetoric, then perhaps that person should stay. Everyone makes =
mistakes, after=20
all. </P>
<P>Sincerely, </P>
<P>Jim Meyer</P></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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