"Robert J. Petry, C.L." skribis

> Ken Caviness wrote:
>
> > [kut]I'm really not sure which I find more offensive, the American Esperantist
> > quote itself or Bob Petry's characterization of it as "typical of Esperanto
> > comments".  I guess I'll call it a tie.
>
> 1. Are Esperantists as reluctant today to read their old publications as those

Which particular Esperantists would you like to know about?  There are all kinds.

I can only answer for myself -- I find old publications interesting, often
completely inapplicable to the present day (in which case amusing and/or bemusing)
but surprisingly often something still rings a bell (in which case helpful and
thought-provoking).  But the question is not "to read or not to read" old
publications, it is whether to smear all present supporters of planlingvo X because
of something written by a past supporter of planlingvo X.  Unhappily, some posts on
auxlang here have fit into this category (with various values for "X").

> who also say, it is not worth reading the old Cosmoglottas, etc? And, if so,

Personally, I had not any acquaintance with old C/Kosmos until Bob Petry started
quoting from them on auxlang.  I found the first issue to be _extremely_ interesting
and informative.  Other than that, all I know are the particular excerpts chosen,
and they have frequently been argumentative and irritating.  Probably some truth in
them, but the total effect has not struck me as particularly open-minded or
welcoming to other auxlangers.  However, as I think I've remarked before that this
may be a function of the selection process rather than an indication of the average
quality of the publication.

I think that it is beyond argument that we can find, shall I say, "non-impartial"
(rabidly-anti-other-planlingvoj) material in Occidental publications, in Esperanto
publications, hey, in Ido and Interlingua and ... publications.  But I would like us
to decry _all_ such, not pit one against another and justify present rudeness and
bigotry by past occurences.

> what are they hiding from, and refusing to see?

I don't think "they" are "hiding" from anything, or "refusing" to see anything.

> 2. When one reads the same type of attitude and quotes from Esperantists from
> before even Occidental appeared, clear up to modern times, and more often than
> any other IAL group, at least in available public information, then maybe that
> repugnance should applyl where it belongs.

Oh, it does, it surely does.  Kredu min!  You apparently missed the part of my
posting which clearly indicated that my repugnance applied not only to your
statement that such garbage was "typical of Esperanto statements", but ALSO to the
garbage itself, namely to the statement you quoted from the American Esperantist,
which I reinsert here for clarity:

> "Likewise the crafty meddlers stimulated by some 'international
> auxiliary language' dilettantes, who spawn schismatic bastard projects
> like Ido, Dodo, Lala and Olingo, brought into the world only to die of
> inanities." p. 49, American Esperantist Vol 59 Nov-Dec 1944.

I hope no-one will now make the mistake of believing that I subscribe to such
statements as that.  "crafty meddlers", "dilettantes", "spawn schismatic bastard
projects", "die of inanities", forsooth  !!!   This is pure, unadulterated
balderdash.  Of the first water.

Thankfully, I have NOT seen much such tripe in modern auxlang publications, although
I'm sure that somewhere, someone is still spouting such nonsense.  When we find such
a person, let's gently edge him/her back into civilized conversation, rather than
automatically branding all proponents of that particular planlingvo as dyed in the
same wool.

> To those who made the most such
> statements over the years, and still do.

See above.

> Besides, it's no fun when one finds out their own favorite has the most dirty
> laundry in its past.

See above.  I see no benefit for any auxlang in smear campaigns (of anyone, by
anyone).

> Cordialmen,

Certe ni povas vivi amike kaj pace!

Kore,
Ken
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  | Ken CAVINESS           Physics at Southern Adventist University |
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