Re: [Membership] Divide and rule by geography or language

[Michael Sondow <msondow@iciiu.org>]

Joop Teernstra a écrit:

> an offensive mis-characterisation by Mr Sondow.

The characterization is offensive, but not mistaken. Here, again, are the
offending lines written by Mr. Teernstra that reveal his cultural chauvinism
and selfish ethnocentricity:

"Those who do not feel confident to discuss in English can be members of
local organisations who can speak on their behalf."

"In English, so that we can all hear and participate."

"... what I see with ICANN is not a problem of under-representation of
regional minorities because of "dominant" English speakers."

Who are these regional minorities that Mr. Teernstra is talking about? Could
they be the people who don't speak English? Regional minorities, indeed! 

And who is this "all", in the second phrase quoted above? All the people in
the world, or in one part of it, or even in one country? Does Mr. Teernstra
believe that all the people except for a small minority speak English? Even
on the Internet?

His answer, in the first phrase above, is ludicrous, and reveals the full
extent of his ignorance of the world and his indifference to its needs. He
says "those who don't feel confident to discuss in English...", as though
these were some few poor culturally deprived persons, rather than the
overwhelming majority of the world's population. And that these unhappy
ones, who can't speak English well, are so few that they can be dispensed
with, without further ado, by assigning them English-speaking
representatives!!!

If Mr. Teernstra were to utter these barbarities in Argentina, or Chile, or
Spain, or France, or Italy, or anywhere else I have ever been, outside the
English-speaking world, he would be laughed at for a fool.

His myopic view of the world is no less ludicrous here, on the Internet.