Where to hold US Go Congress...

[hyperpape]

Alright, the trick is that you'll have to give comprehensive recommendations and evaluations of all the Southern food within a 40 mile radius--I need something with which to lobby my wife. We'll look sceptically at Alabama barbeque, but go ahead and tell us about it.

[balmung]

Alright, the trick is that you'll have to give comprehensive recommendations and evaluations of all the Southern food within a 40 mile radius--I need something with which to lobby my wife. We'll look sceptically at Alabama barbeque, but go ahead and tell us about it.

Everyone looks down on Alabama, because they think we are idiots. The actual reality is that the ideas that make Alabama run are from geniuses not hicks. I dare say I have seen the most Go potential out of Alabama players then most other states, but I digress we will map out all the restaurant with in driving distance. The Restaurants in Birmingham go from from the best southern meals to the best Asian food you could try(that is why the south is known for it's hospitality ). I can promise this will be a great congress and please participate knowing that you are contributing to spreading Go in the south eastern region.

[oren]

I went to Birmingham in summer once for a motorcycle race at Barber Motorsports Park. Honestly going in summer was awful weather, and I couldn't find much to do there.

I wish you luck organizing the tournament though.

[Joaz Banbeck]

As long as y'all allow white stones and black stones on the same board, I'll be there.

[hyperpape]

Balmung, it's nothing to do with hicks. It's just that I'm from North Carolina, and our attitude is that nothing can compare to Eastern North Carolina barbecue.

[Monadology]

As long as y'all allow white stones and black stones on the same board, I'll be there.

[scsfello]

As long as y'all allow white stones and black stones on the same board, I'll be there.

This was an inappropriate comment, administrator not withstanding.

[xed_over]

As long as y'all allow white stones and black stones on the same board, I'll be there.

This was an inappropriate comment, administrator not withstanding.

really? I don't think so. I think its pretty funny.

there's a lot of civil rights history in Birmingham, and I'll be looking forward to being able to take in some of it.

[Horibe]

As long as y'all allow white stones and black stones on the same board, I'll be there.

This was an inappropriate comment, administrator not withstanding.

really? I don't think so. I think its pretty funny.

there's a lot of civil rights history in Birmingham, and I'll be looking forward to being able to take in some of it.

It seems to me that the comment was truly misguided. Here we have an enthusiatic volunteer, who is trying to generate some excitement. Already, without prompting, he feels the need to defend his state for not being exactly on the jet set circuit.

Then an admin from the part of the country that has given us riots and Rodney King has the gall to suggest, humourously or humourlessly, that he needs some assurances regarding race relations.

Watts funny about that?

[etower366i2]

Just so people aren't misguided (I know this is going back a few days in the discussion) ... the greatest portion of the registration cost comes from the cost of supporting the Professionals, the next greatest from comps or venues, depending on the locale and the cost of things like room and board.

Also, I am extremely excited at the prospect of a Birmingham congress. I think that it would be great, both for the region and for opening the eyes of Americans who might otherwise overlook the region, to experience what the area has to offer.

[shapenaji]

Oh give me a break guys, the Alabamans are going to get touchy with the rest of us about their history?

As someone who's regularly (mis)identified as Persian/Middle-eastern, it's sad to say, but it'll probably keep me from wandering too much in the deep south (Big cities are fine, but I just would rather not tempt fate). A sense of humor helps, when I see people who are humorless about a comment about black and white people playing together, I get the feeling like it's still a problem down there. It doesn't exactly put me at ease.

[Horibe]

Oh give me a break guys, the Alabamans are going to get touchy with the rest of us about their history?

As someone who's regularly (mis)identified as Persian/Middle-eastern, it's sad to say, but it'll probably keep me from wandering too much in the deep south (Big cities are fine, but I just would rather not tempt fate). A sense of humor helps, when I see people who are humorless about a comment about black and white people playing together, I get the feeling like it's still a problem down there. It doesn't exactly put me at ease.

Wow, all I can say is wow.

See, I like to view people as individuals. So when and enthusiastic guy is willing to work (like a dog quite frankly) for a year to give the go community an event - I want to say thank you very much.

What I do not do, is look at his postal code and think, hmm, I wonder if he is one of them with "their history".

I mean it is really, really remarkable. I have read reams of posts from you about how the AGA needs to break down barriers and let folks in, that the AGA needs to be welcoming to everyone. I thought you stood for letting the new guy in, do not worry about when you joined or if you have ever played in an AGA event - the important thing is you are here now and interested and we want to grab that interest.

But...if you are one of them with "their history", you are apparently out of luck. Just how big of a South are you defining, with your Congress boycott? I mean Mason Dixon or is Virginia ok. You know we had a pretty good Congress in North Carolina. What exactly does a Southern go player have to do pass muster with you?

Seriously, Rodney King was in California and people died in Boston regarding bussing and there is intolerance everywhere. I am not in denial, I am simply judging people by the content of their character and not which side their state took in the Civil War.

[topazg]

Speaking publicly as a moderator, Joaz immediately raised this for discussion when it was reported by a user. I have to admit, I don't have a problem with the original post. It seems to me like Joaz is a) familiar with a distasteful past, and b) has come to terms with it well enough to approach it with humour. It seems clear to me that no offense was intended, nor was any genuine reassurance sought, and I personally confess to finding it witty. To me, that the situation can be joked about implies that it is all thankfully in the past, which to me therefore has positive connotations.

I'm happy leaving things as they lie, and I'm sure Joaz is also happy making adjustments if people feel particularly strongly about it, but I'm inclined to agree very much with shapenaji. The fact that people do make a fuss about it says a lot about race insecurity that I think there is any need for, particularly on this forum which has a really particularly good record for all that sort of thing.

[Kirby]

...

Seriously, Rodney King was in California and people died in Boston regarding bussing and there is intolerance everywhere. I am not in denial, I am simply judging people by the content of their character and not which side their state took in the Civil War.

I think the comment needs to be read in the context of the thread. I think that the point was not to "exclude people from the south" from anything, as you seem to be implying. Rather, I think that the point he was trying to make was that some people on this forum were overreacting to Joaz's comment.

By the way, I'm not taking any sides on the matter - I just think it's a point unrelated to that which you are trying to identify.

[Horibe]

...

Seriously, Rodney King was in California and people died in Boston regarding bussing and there is intolerance everywhere. I am not in denial, I am simply judging people by the content of their character and not which side their state took in the Civil War.

I think the comment needs to be read in the context of the thread. I think that the point was not to "exclude people from the south" from anything, as you seem to be implying. Rather, I think that the point he was trying to make was that some people on this forum were overreacting to Joaz's comment.

By the way, I'm not taking any sides on the matter - I just think it's a point unrelated to that which you are trying to identify.

Kirby - I suppose you could read shapenaji's post as saying people are overeacting to Joaz's post. But the only fair reading of those remarks, taken in context, is that people should not be worried about hurting Alabamian's feelings, because, with their history - they deserve to have to give such reassurances and defend themselves. Because the problem is real, according to the post, and shapenaji is not going to wander around in the deep south.

So is it excluding? Well you certainly considered asking a go player to play 10 games as excluding.

Yet Joaz's "funny" post mocks the Southern dialect and states "Sounds ok, by me, as long as you can prove your not a racist" And Shapenaji chimes in - "As an Alabaman, with your history, you cannot complain about the request"

In my view - that is a hard pill to swallow, and I would consider myself excluded. I should not have to defend myself in that manner, whether because of the color of my skin, my religion or what state I live in.