[ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTE: THE PREVIOUS POST, BY "ANDRES" WAS REMOVED BY HIM AT MY REQUEST AS IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A "SOAPBOX - POLITICAL & PERSONAL ATTACK" AND THUS POTENTIALLY DIVISIVE. INDEED, AS PROOF OF ITS TOXIC NATURE, ANDRES' POST DIRECTLY RESULTED IN ONE OF OUR LONG TERM COLLEAGUES & A CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND TAKING A SABBATICAL FROM THIS BOARD.
ANDRES, WHO THROUGHOUT MAINTAINED ANONYMITY, REMOVED THE POST AND RESIGNED FROM THE BOARD IN PROTEST AT BEING APPROACHED THROUGH AN INTERMEDIARY, BUT THE DAMAGE HE HAS INTENDED TO DO IS DONE AND WILL LONG REMAIN, UNSALVED BY APOLOGY AND UNPERSUADED BY WORD OR LOGIC. FOR AS LONG AS IT DOES, I CONSIDER THAT THE WRONGHEADEDNESS AND FUZZY ILLOGICALITY WITH WHICH HE MADE IT SHOULD REMAIN KNOWN, HENCE THIS POST WHICH DEALS WITH IT.
I HAVE A NATURAL DISTASTE FOR NEWBIE POSTERS WHO HIDE BEHIND THEIR ANONYMITY, AND TRY TO TAKE BODY SHOTS AT PEOPLE THEY'VE TAKEN A SET AGAINST. I AM NOT TRYING TO PREACH TOLERATION HERE, I CAN'T CHANGE YOUR VIEWS, THERE'S TOO MANY OF YOU OUT THERE WHO WANT TO HATE SOMEONE IN PUBLIC - YOU CAN HATE AND DESPISE ALL YOU WANT, ANDRES, BUT DON'T COME HERE TO OUR FORUM AND EXPECT TO BE RECEIVED AS ERUDITE OR CLEVER. IF YOU HAVE A SET AGAINST SOMEONE, KEEP IT TO YOUR PRIVATE E-MAILS, DON'T PUT IT HERE IN OUR FORUM, WE WANT TO GO BEYOND THAT. WE LEFT MCCARTHY BEHIND ALREADY. WE'VE GONE BEYOND YOUR "QUESTIONS WHICH NEED TO BE ASKED BY THE PUBLIC," SUBTERFUGE. WHO ARE YOU, DAN RATHER? WHO APPOINTED YOU INQUISITOR?
(THE GENERAL PUBLIC HERE RESPONDED WITH OVER 100 WRITTEN MESSAGES OF SUPPORT AFTER THE ARTICLE REFERRED TO ABOVE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE "INQUIRER".)
AS TO ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE QUESTIONS WERE "INNOCENT", I WILL ASK YOU TO READ FROM FURTHER UP THE PAGE WHERE EACH OF THE SO CALLED "QUESTIONS" HAD BEEN FULLY ADDRESSED EVEN BEFORE ANDRES SET FINGERS TO HIS KEYBOARD. HIS IS AN ATTITUDE UNAFFECTED BY FACTS PRESENTED PLAINLY.
AN INTERNET FORUM, EVEN ONE ABOUT A LOCAL TOURIST ATTRACTION, IS AN INTERNATIONAL "ANIMAL" AND THEY HAVE A LIFE BEYOND WHAT SEEMS IMPORTANT IN A PAROCHIAL OR EVEN IN A NATIONALISTIC SENSE. A SUCCESSFUL FORUM REQUIRES AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL OF POLITENESS AND CIVILITY. HENCE IT IS MY POLICY TO DEAL WITH ANY INCIVILITY WITHOUT MODERATION.
EXO
Concerning "andres" questions, I have decided to furnish the following answers based on the information appearing earlier in the thread, and which appears to have been overlooked.
Q: Does this foreign couple have special permits to live there?
A: Yes, they have all appropriate permits and visas.
Q: What are they doing there in the first place?
A: They are to research and promote foreign and domestic tourism to Corregidor, which has lately fallen below sustainable levels.
Q: Are they researchers or just retirees?
A: Both. One is not inconsistent with the other.
Q: I think their presence there will create more questions that they can provide answers to the Filipino public.
A: Strictly, that's not a question, that's an opinion. I will nonetheless address it.
It could well be said that the public was given a comprehensive briefing in the form of a front page press article, with photographs, contained in a recent edition of the Inquirer, which I understand and accept as one of the pre-eminent major national newspapers in this country. Rather than result in "
more questions", as you opined, it did in fact result in the receipt of numerous letters (and expressions of positive support, encouragement for the program and requests to be added to mailing lists.)
This is an international educational forum concerning a tourist destination of great historic significance, not a soapbox for the ventilation of political issues and personal prejudices. The Corregidor Historical Society supports the development of a responsible tourism policy on Corregidor. If you wish to address issues concerning the role and presence of duly authorised researchers in National Parks, then kindly submit them to the appropriate authority. Questions which may be addressed to CFI, who will surely give patient and due consideration in providing answers in accordance with their lawful discretion and authority.
This is a public forum and does not purport to speak for or on behalf of the "foreign couple", the CFI, or any appropriate authority. We do have what they don't - a number of moderators who each have access to a "delete" button, and who don't have to give reasons. Perhaps we may encourage them to moderate the forum a little less moderately if they feel that any post lacks the required level of civility.
We try to keep this board international, and of educational worth to military buffs. It is not a political soapbox or for the expression of issues of personal antipathy or blog-hosting.
Those wishing to continue this thread or to discuss any issues arising from Andres' post can put their comments directly to Steve K at
steveandmarciaontherock.blogspot.com/2009/06/comments-on-newspaper-article.html because this isn't the Forum for them.