Comment on
Aiga’s stand in regard to “Dear Getachew “
AigaForum, as you might have noted already, I
am one of your avid and loyal readers. I like your site because most of
the things that I find go with the ideals that I have. However, I do not expect
you to post things that I only agree 100% for there are occasions that I have
read stuff in your site that was not in accordance to my beliefs. I am telling
you this because I have never expected you to post only those things that I
like to hear. I take what ever you post positively even if I do not agree
with you. Even if I do not agree, I give it a chance and read it, and decide
whether I agree or not. The fact that you post articles that sometimes I do not
agree with, however, has never made me decide not to open your page ever.
Coming to my main point: I read some comment,
early this morning, regarding Getachew Mequanint. As far as I understand it,
this gentleman writes with good intentions. Most of the articles that he has
written so far are more balanced than any one has (my very personal view). We
might not agree sometimes with his views. The main point is, though, he does
not write with malicious intentions like many others do. He has a point and
writes it and shares it with us. Does he have to agree with us 100%? NO!!!
Hence, my writing to you is because I
understand that AigaForum is a forum where diverse ideas, no matter how similar
or different they are, are entertained. All with good intentions, no
matter how much they disagree. Getachew thinks that Elias did a good job. That
is his own view and has expressed it. Do I agree? No, I do not. However, that
does not make me stop from reading his articles, for I do not expect myself to
agree in everything that he says or writes. If that was the case, reading would
be boring and I would be listening all the time to my self.
You should have judged Getachew's
writing from his past articles and evaluate him based on his intentions. I do
not think he means bad to Ethiopia. As far as I
have known him from his articles, he is one of the very few articulate,
balanced, brave Ethiopians in the cyber stage.
I am sure you agree in most of Getachews
articles. What is wrong if he has different views than yours in few other
issues? 100% agreement can only happen in COMMUNISM!
No matter how wrong the writer is, I believe
that you should post it and let the reader decide so long the writer is not
writing with the purpose of offending some sector of the society or any reader
in particular for that matter (Thanks Ben for stating this same point). I
believe that Getachew (I do not know him personally, by the way) has never
meant to offend any body, judging him from his writing. He is an excellent
communicator and analyzer, and it happens that we do agree with
his view not all the times, which is fine.
AigaForum, does some body have to agree 100%
with you for his article to be posted? If you think so, then you are just like
the rest. This is a forum. Let ideas be entertained in a civil manner. I
think that all you have to do is make sure that no obscene or politically
incorrect views are posted. Or, some with very crooked intentions should be
also avoided. Other than that every body should have his say, if he/she wishes.
That is way many brave brothers of ours died for, for me to have my
say, no matter if one agrees or not with me!!!
Tesfaye Kassa
Oct 14, 2007