TO THE MODERATOR

[Raleigh Chadderdon, 2005 Graduate Student]

I think that this Google Group has probably run its course. Not that it
should be deleted, but maybe frozen if possible. The day is past, and
to be honest there hasn't been much worth-while dialogue here in a long
time. It's unfortunate but true. I don't mean to put an end to
dialogue, but perhaps this just isn't a good place. It seems to have
turned into a "flamers" club instead of a place for intelligent
discourse (which does not mean argument, but possible debate). No one
here, from what I can see, is searching for answers to any questions -
no one seems game to be open minded. For that matter, I'm not really
open-minded on this subject. Instead everyone seems insistent on
degrading, beating, and convincing each other at a rather lame
politics-info game. No one here seems to have supplied any reason to be
an authority on any subject accept their own viewpoint. That's fine,
but I think this forum is beginning to merely be a melting pot of
polarization. This is my vote to close it down.

[Laura B.]

While I tend to agree that this NG has been polutted by extremists like
JohnC, whose warped views of reality and truth have led to his many
worthless posting.

But then again, this NG reflects the current state of the country's
political and social affair. Polarization and division among the people
have been gaining its momentum. And this NG, like others in the usenet
and other forums, provides a platform for people share information that
is rigidly controlled by the mainstream media. Having that said, posts
from people like Dee could be useful info such as Byker's involvement
with the oil cartels. My understanding is, from the title of this NG,
the forum was created to let the idiot George Bush and his deluded and
brainwashed supporters like the moron JohnC that not all of Calvin
people are as dumb as they are and that we would not let them hijacking
Christianity for their evil agenda of turning this country into nation
Hitler ever dreamed of.

So instead of shutting this NG down, I propose that it receives more
visibility from the world to see what kind of people Calvin has on its
campus. After all, we might as well enjoy this precious freedom called
"freedom of expression" before it gets the ax by the neo-cons, if
they ever get their way!

[prc]

In all seriousness, there's something to be said for each viewpoint
here. (And I don't type that simply to be a rhetorical
reconciliationist.) Posters and readers of this forum may be familiar
with Shirley Hoogstra's article in Chimes (For the unfamiliar, who
hopefully are also seeing this, Chimes is Calvin's student newspaper,
and Shirley Hoogstra is Calvin's VP for Student Life) this spring,
which exhorted Calvin students to give up the anonymity the Internet
often provides and follow a higher path. While I really do respect
Hoogstra's opinion, and the similar one of Mr. Chadderdon, I think what
Laura B. implies is more correct: it is precisely during moments of
anonymity where true character is shown. The old adage that it's not
if you stop at a traffic light at 3pm, but at 3am, seems to apply here.
I think people need to see that there are people of all types at
Calvin, even if that means airing some dirty laundry. It's certainly a
more honest representation of what Calvin is, at any rate. And if that
means we have to suffer John C (or maybe me, to be inclusive), then I
say so be it. We can learn from everyone.

prc