Author: Thorsten Czub
Date: 12:40:57 04/01/03
Go up one level in this thread
On April 01, 2003 at 13:02:54, Bruce Moreland wrote: >The sender of both of these emails is a well-known computer chess figure, who is >associated with the Graz event, ?? i am a little shocked about what you say here. you got emails by somebody out of the computerchess scene, telling you alike: only a dead soldier is a good american ??? and obviously YOU got it because you are an american. i find this very rude and unbelievable. i am not for this war, and often against bruce, and also often against americans. But this is IMO a level far even above what I would accept as acceptable. i still cannot believe that THIS is really possible. i guess it is a fake and somebody used the email of somebody else to make you believe about this. how could anyone be interested in hitting you that much? You (bruce) have nothing to do with the american government that is in charge for this war. i feel a little ashamed about what has happened to you, especially because i know you in person and i think you are a nice guy. > presumably as a host. I know for a fact the >same emails, or very similar emails, were sent to other American computer chess >programmers. i am shocked. this can IMO not been true. How would somebody do this ? i mean, can this guy really believe it would NOT offend others ? is there a chance to apologize, to make this not have happened. or to make sure about this misunderstanding ? I still believe this cannot be true, it MUST be a fake. > 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. sorry bruce that this happened. it is on thing to say something wrong in a heated discussion, all of us are a little upset and hurt in the moment. Political situation is not easy and different areas of the world see things DIFFERENT in the moment due to whatever different stamping and cultural/political background. But what has this to do with YOU or any other american chess programmer ? Nothing. >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. This is IMO very sad. You have nothing to do with this war. Of course you are welcome at any time and in any place. Nobody is against americans or american chess programmers. only that people have different opinion about this war. thats natural. It's a pity that politics has side effects on computerchess. i thought we could TALK and therefore behave like adults without personal insults, without sending hate-emails or whatever. I am disapointed about this. >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. And this is what upsets me. Nobody is against americans. its a different point of view many of us have. but how can this have something to do with chess programmers ?? you are no soldiers. no politicians. and you are not in charge for whatever happens. when it came about jakarta, i had a different opinion. because it was my opinion that one should not support a dictatorship (soharto). but when you travel to austria, you are not supporting a government of injustice or supporting a war or whatever. and IMO the austrians are very friendly and nice hosts. Sorry Bruce. >I'm not calling for anyone else to pass on the event. By all means make that >choice for yourself. > >bruce it's a pity. it's your decision but i don't think it's ok. here in europe we have almost the same values than USA has. Only that we have (in the moment) different ideas about the HOW. but the values are the same. freedom. democracy. peace. how can this destroy the years of friendship of chessprogrammers ?? i hope this is not the last word spoken about this stuff. i would like to see this "problem" beeing solved in a much more positive way.
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