Author: Chessfun
Date: 11:08:13 04/01/03
Go up one level in this thread
On April 01, 2003 at 13:02:54, Bruce Moreland wrote: >This post has some political content, but much of it involves a major computer >chess event, so I am posting it here rather than in CTF. > >On March 23rd, I received an email with the subject "Good Americans", containing >the text "Unfortunately there are yet no good pics of real good Yankees on the >net. But the guy on the enclosed picture is at least on the best way to become a >good one." > >Attached was a picture of an American POW in Iraq. > >I responded to this email, asking the sender why he sent this to me, and he >responded with general anger about the war, which led me to believe that this >was sent intentionally. My initial thought had been that it might have been one >of these forged virus email things that are so common now. > >On the 26th, I got another email, subject "I like Americans", containing the >text, "At least these ones." > >Attached was a graphic picture of two dead American soldiers. > >The sender of both of these emails is a well-known computer chess figure, who is >associated with the Graz event, presumably as a host. I know for a fact the >same emails, or very similar emails, were sent to other American computer chess >programmers. This leads me to believe that I was targeted due to my >nationality, rather than because of anything I have said publicly about the war. > >I sent email to the ICGA officers asking them what they thought of this, and >telling them how I felt about this. I received a variety of replies, assuring >me that the ICGA is not political, that I will be welcome in Graz, etc. None of >this offends me, and I have little or no complaint about how the ICGA has handle >this. I've also had a running discussion with the person I'm referring to, who >steadfastly defends his decision to send these pictures to me. I have much >complaint about that. > >After some reflection, I have decided that I can't accept the hospitality of >this person under these circumstances, so I will not be going to Graz. > >I have carefully considered whether to make any of this public. I am doing this >now in order to: > >1) Respond in advance to inevitable questions as to why I am not going. > >2) Alert other Americans to possible problems in advance. It is possible that >you may meet with personally directed hostility in Graz, from someone connected >with the event, and you have a right to know this before making travel plans. >If you have concerns that you think the ICGA can address, I expect that they >would be happy to hear from you. > >I'm not calling for anyone else to pass on the event. By all means make that >choice for yourself. > >bruce It is sad that there are some that take any suffering of others as an event to be celebrated, that aside however. I can't believe that this is the reason, "Why I am not going to the Graz WCCC". I can see it causing upset but to cause you to not go to this event could be what the sender's intent was. You say the sender who is associated with Graz as "presumably a host", without finding out for sure whether he has any ties to the event why state that's the reason not to go?. You also state "I have little or no complaint about how the ICGA has handled this.".....Then what was the purpose of contacting them?. BTW I don't blame any Americans in the present climate for not wanting to travel outside of the US. Lastly "I've also had a running discussion with the person I'm referring to." Why bother, he is obviously a person of limited capacity and clearly a type of person whom you couldn't convince of the FACT that he is a mental retard for sending this garbage to others. Let's pray anyway that it all ends soon. Sarah.
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