User talk:Mia Zagora

01:33, 13 February 2008 (EST)
 * I have just reverted your edits to homeschooling. As it seemed rather radical, please discuss on the talk page first next time. Susan  Miouw  07:24, 13 February 2008 (EST)

Your revised version is at User talk:Mia Zagora/homeschooling for a limited period of time. Susan Miouw  07:24, 13 February 2008 (EST)
 * Shouldn't it be at User:Mia Zagora/homeschooling ? WikinoobBring TK back 07:36, 13 February 2008 (EST)
 * It can be deleted by 3rd parties here. Susan  Miouw  07:45, 13 February 2008 (EST)
 * Yeah... it was nice of you to preserve it and not simply roll it back. I suppose "Mia"s decision to actually create a user name had something to do with that.  A lot of it looks familiar, I think I've seen it at someone's website about homeschooling... anyone want to google a few sentences and see? human  15:28, 13 February 2008 (EST)

Letter from me to you
Dear Ms Zagora,
 * Having googled your name, and I believe finding you, I have these observations:
 * You are not the sort of person against whom we at RW feel so much animosity.
 * A Christian homeschooler, you seem to have researched your kids best future prospects and intend to pursue that to the best of your ability.
 * I think that I'd probably like you. Although I don't know if you'd respond in like manner.

RW's antipathy to homeschooling derives directly from the attitude of Conservapedia's editors, especially that of Andrew Schlafly, and we necessarily go over the top on occasion. The dogmatic "homeschooling good; public schooling bad" stance does bring out the worst in us, I'm afraid.

When a wealthy man takes on any subject which his money enables him to pursue with ease, it naturally creates its own anti-elitist opposition. When that man has a vested interest, by virtue of its being a source of income, however small, there is additional motive for countering his expressed views.

The indoctrination, doubtless too strong a word in your view, of these children in a belief in the literal truth of bronze/iron age myths as being truer than scientific theories is also anathema to the majority of Ratwikians and brings out our contempt. Such "teaching is, in my view, child abuse and should be countered using any means possible, including ridicule.

I do like your Amazon "wish list" and believe that it shows genuine concern for the future of your children, would that my own parents had been so interested in my education in post-war Britain.

If you would like to discuss some of your points by use of the talk page, rather than by unilaterally replacing/adding great swathes, I am sure that we could come to some accommodation, however minor. You will note that your edits have not been deleted, merely moved (twice!) - this is very unusual and shows that we do care. Susan Miouw  09:32, 14 February 2008 (EST)

Please note that the above is the opinion of one Ratwikian and doesn't claim to necessarily be representative. Susan Miouw

Dear Susan: -
 * Great, Susan. Now I feel guilty for removing her edits to the page. I feel the sudden urge to apologize. -- 12:06, 14 February 2008 (EST)


 * I'd already done the same yesterday! so no worries. Susan  Miouw  12:11, 14 February 2008 (EST)

Dear Susan:

Not being familiar with the format of this web site, I hope you are able to read this. First of all, thank you for the kind words. I can assure you that if you like me, I would like you as well - that's human nature and that's easy. Being kind to people who write things that are blatant lies, calling into question your very competence as a parent - now THAT's hard, hence the word "idiots"...and for that I apologize. Truly, it was decidedly un-Christian.

As far as Andrew Schlafly goes, I must admit his name was familiar, but I hardly knew who he was, until your article urged me to look. I don't think he stands out very prominently in the homeschooling community. In fact, if you care to look, I'm sure you wouldn't find his name much on any homeschooling chat room, message board or other online community.

I'm still not sure I understand the reasoning behind attacking the homeschooling aspect of his life when there are, no doubt, many more issues on which you disagree with him that someone might be more knowledgeable about. If Mr. Shlafly even saw your article I'm positive it wouldn't phase him, as he is clearly a very well educated man, and not just some "failed lawyer" as your article states.

"The indoctrination, doubtless too strong a word in your view, of these children in a belief in the literal truth of bronze/iron age myths as being truer than scientific theories is also anathema to the majority of Ratwikians and brings out our contempt. Such "teaching is, in my view, child abuse and should be countered using any means possible, including ridicule."

Baseless ridicule with skewed "facts" is not the same thing as countering an argument. Your contempt is based upon your feelings about religion in general and Christianity in particular. I find it strangely ir-"rational" that you view him - and probably all Christians, inlcuding me - with such hatred because they put their faith in something other than science/scientists. I'm not an apologist and am not going to try to convert you to my way of thinking or get into any arguments on this subject that would be better handled by someone like Ravi Zacharias or some other apologist.

As far as my Amazon wish list goes, I haven't really looked at it in quite a while...I'm wondering if I have actually gotten anything I wished for! ;) I do care about my children's education very much.  I was raised by my mother, who was divorced, with no help from my largely absentee father.  She did manage to put my sister and I in a private Christian school, again without help from our father.  Understandably, she was pretty much uninvolved in our schooling - so I know how you feel, to some extent.

I'm sorry if I upset anyone by my replacing text in "great swaths", but I honestly wasn't aware of how the "talk page" worked, and am still not sure if I'm doing it right. At any rate, I'm not sure what more we could talk about regarding homeschooling. As long as it's legal, I guess I'll be teaching my own. I would be willing to engage in civil talk about homeschooling or schooling in general, though.

Sincerely,

Mia


 * Hi Mia, as you say, you're not quite sure how to proceed. 1. Please don't delete comments from your talk page.  I tried to restore them.  2. The "talk" pages are a great place to raise issues you have with articles - instead of replacing an article people have worked on, comment on the talk page, say as much as you want to say, introduce sources and info, your comments will not be deleted, and hopefully will make the article better.  Thanks, human  22:24, 26 February 2008 (EST)
 * PS, Schlafly may be "well educated", but he ain't that smart. And, he is a "failed lawyer".  He lost his position at AT&T, and now is just a hired gun for AAPS and runs his silly "conservapedia" blog. human  22:27, 26 February 2008 (EST)
 * PPS, thank you, Mia, for coming back to discuss these issues. I mean it. human  22:28, 26 February 2008 (EST)

Um...human, is it? I'm not sure what your name is, but awfully sorry for erasing some of the comments from this page. I was having trouble with the screen flashing and thought maybe my page was too full. Must have been something else. Didn't know that about Mr. Shlafly. Still, many people lose their jobs every day through no fault of their own, so I would have to find out more before siding with you on that one. Have a wonderful week.

Mia


 * Thank you for the well wishing, Mia. May your sojourn here be as productive and healthy. human  01:00, 27 February 2008 (EST)

A general note
Dear Mia, it's nice to have alternative voices on RW. I hope you stick around.- 00:37, 27 February 2008 (EST)
 * Mia, please to sign your talk page comments with four tildes: ~, thusly. It makes easier for all of us.  Thanks!