From: stevef@csl.sony.co.jp
Newsgroups: fj.news.group
Subject: Re: About Fj.life.in-japan CFV[Pidgin English]
Date: 23 Aug 92 06:17:13 GMT
	<CLAUDE.92Aug19140916@tokyo.trc.mew.mei.co.jp> <2400@aegis.or.jp>
	<1992Aug20.030402.19568@rkna50.riken.go.jp> <2415@aegis.or.jp>
Organization: Sony Computer Science Laboratory Inc., Tokyo, Japan



In a discussion about the objections to creating fj.life.in-japan:

   Thanks for the post Masahiko!

   [my original query omitted]

   >It is far beyond my ability to explain all the discussions for the creation 
   >of fj.life.in-japan.  I'll post some brief summaries on my articles and
   >some of the follow-up articles on a Subject: Is fj kind to minorities

   >   (Mr. Ohta disagreed because news system is for majorities and for minori-
   >   ties you have mailing-lists.)  

I think if only small number of people use a newsgroup then it wastes
network resources, a mailing list is better. However, I think
fj.life.in-japan will have many people reading and many people posting
also. I think it will grow very much as time passes. If there is only
a mailing list, many new and temporary people visiting Japan will not
find out about the mailing list. More people will know about the
nesgroup. 

   This sounds like another Ohta-creation like the control messages that
   keep coming onto Aegis :-) 

It is interesting that some people use the "rules" of JUNET voting
procedure to stop or delay creation of the newsgroup then do things
which, I think, are not meant to be done under the rules thinking no
one will find out maybe.

	[ stuff deleted ] 

   >4) As for fj.life.in-japan, some are anxious about almost all the commun-
   >   ication are done in English, But we already know someone whose mother 
   >   tongue is Portuguese has no other means to communicate in English here
   >   in fj.  If we do not let a man like him join us, we cannot help being
   >   criticized as fj is not kind to minorities.
   >   (Mr. Hatano writes he wonders if it is suitable for them foreigners to 
   >   create the newsgroup only for them.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If a mailing list was created then maybe people would think it is only
for "us" (but us is both gaijin and people who are interested in
discussions on various issues which gaijin see differently (maybe)
because they are new to Japan). If newsgroup was created, it is
inherently for everyone to read or post to. Mailing list are much more
restrictive.

It seems that somebody try and make this a "us" and "them" issue, it
is sad and gives a very bad impression of Japanese to foreigners who
read this. Luckily, I know that most Japanese people are very kind. I
do not understand why people try to stop creation of a group that
would benefit *at least some* people, just because it may not benefit
*every* person (due to language maybe). 

The newsgroup fj.life.in-japan would create benefit and I think would
not create any harm to anybody.

If you think differently, please tell me exactly who/what would be
harmed by creation of fj.life.in-japan.


Sincerely, 

Steve
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Steve Franks			Mail:	Sony Computer Science Lab
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