[bestbits] Call to Best Bits participants for nominations to Brazil meeting committees

[Guru गुरु]

On 12/24/2013 05:54 PM, Avri Doria wrote:
>
>
> On 24-Dec-13 03:18, Mawaki Chango wrote:
>> "Don't worry getting yourself out of poverty by trying to speak for
>> yourself (for instance, by trying to expose the structural imbalances
>> that maintain the conditions causing poverty,) just be content with us
>> taking care of your needs as we understand them (by maintaining and
>> feeding in the public aid apparatus so that you can get something to eat
>> everyday while we enjoy self-gratification for doing good)."
>
>
> Well I suppose you can read anything, any way you wish, I contend that 
> your reading is a prejudicial and specious misconstruction.
>
> I said nothing about people not arguing their case as vociferously as 
> they might wish.  And I said nothing about not applying for a 
> representative role.
>
> What I said is that when one accepts a representative role, they go on 
> to represent the whole group and not just the one particular set of 
> beliefs and agendas they come in with.
>
> And what I think is wrong is getting a position as a CS representative 
> and then doing everything you can to put forward your personal agenda 
> at the cost of the rest of civil society's positions.  Sure make sure 
> your position gets heard and understood as well as is possible, just 
> don't do it by by tearing down the work everyone else is trying to do 
> as well. This means that you have to pick people who despite having a 
> minority view can work with the majority as well.
>
> So sure put in the criterion of including minority viewpoints, but 
> also put in the criterion of "plays well with others."
>
> avri

Avri,

I had sent you a long mail, that this kind of argument is very dangerous 
- it enables the dominant hegemonic group to simply blank out dissent -  
'Behave yourself or you are out' - this is basically the essence of what 
you are proposing. You are repeating your prejudicial and specious views.

(Your views are surprising to me, I understand your primary political 
leaning to be anarchical - which would tend to support a minority over a 
dominant majority, rather than demand any kind of compliance)

regards,
Guru