[matilda] crime and punishment

[atw]

zomaz> Brothers and sisters

zomaz> Let those who would soil all that is good about the Matilda be cast out!

zomaz> Joe and Reka must go. And not come back till January.

zomaz> Or alternatively we can turn a blind eye and let everything turn to shit.


I think if we get to the stage where we cast people out then
everything will have turned to shit already.

By invoking the idea of punishment you are already replicating the
problems of mainstream society. Aren't we supposed to be an
"Alternative Terrain of Love"? What happened to that ideal? Do we want
to replace the little circle A next to the mole with the scales of
justice instead? Do we want pass judgement on issues too trivial for
mainsteam society?

I also think to blame two people for the problems of Matilda is
pathetic and dishonest. The word for it is 'scapegoating'.

The good thing about scapegoating is that everyone else gets off the
hook. They're responsible for the problems, not us. Get rid of them
and we don't have to do anything. It's an easy way out, a cop out an
ultimately is doomed to fail because its not the real reason for the
problems.

For quite a while I've been wanting to talk about the decision making
process at Matilda and the problems I see with it. Unfortunately I've
been pretty busy with other stuff and there doesn't seem to have been
much time at meetings either. Did it get talked about on Monday? Did
the small groups thing work OK? I was going to go - though I have to
admit that getting an agressive, abusive phone call in the morning
from a Matilda person didn't do much for my motivation.

It seems to me there are two things that need sorting out. Firstly the
problems of meetings, communication and decision making. These are key
for all relationships between people. How these are carried out will
affect everyone so we all need to discuss them.

Secondly there is obviously some personal issues between some people.
These only affect those involved and they are not everyone else's
business. I think it is primarily for those involved to sort these out
how they want to though sometimes some impartial mediation is helpful.

I've no idea how things have got with this and I'm not asking for this
to be discussed on this list, or at a meeting/trial.

However I do think that blaming two people on this list for Matilda's
ills is not at all helpful. Both Joe and Reka have put a fair amount
of work into Matilda and that mustn't be forgotten.

cheers

steve