For What It's Worth - 2/16/2002

To: diarymonitor@opendiary.com

An Unsavoury Diary



Dear sir/ madam:



I read with some alarm the entries and subsequent replies found on the following OD



http://www.opendiary.com/entrylist.asp?authorcode=A661615
Bitch, sluts, bastards
by popular?fuckers



This particular diary and the subsequent responses promote hate, personal attacks and defamation. All these writers come from the school where I teach and what troubles me is the sense of anger, obscenity and violence apparent in the entries and notes.



I quote from your "terms of use agreement":

"Users shall not post or transmit through Open Diary any material which violates or infringes in any way upon the rights of others, which is unlawful, threatening, abusive, defamatory ..."



Given that this policy statement aims to protect the integrity of the OD community, I am of the opinion that the above OD, whether it is a prank, a hoax or a genuine rant, should either be censored or removed.



On another note, I would like to give my kudos to The Open Diary as it has been and continues to be an excellent medium for a large number of students to express their views and encourage each other. Coming from a culture that is often inhibited about speaking openly and confiding one's problems, The Open Diary is a very theraputic place for many. Further, it encourages the kids to write, something I regard as a plus for me, an English teacher. This single OD mentioned above promotes the wrong kind of expression and is an example of Open Diary Abuse, and to the credit of The Open Diary, is an exception.

Your attention and action is much appreciated.

Thank you.

Mr Gary Lim

I guess the OD has become a place that I enjoy and treasure very much. Was rather amused and indifferent the first time I visited the above mentioned site. But looked at it today and realised that it's breeding all sorts of unhealthiness. So I decided to at least try to do something about it. I'm sure some OD regulars have as well and I think we shouldn't tolerate overtly insensitive remarks as these, though I am painfully aware that I do not always say the nicest of things of other people too. But at least I try to be polite.