An Associated Press report of a fire at the Musical Theater of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko in Moscow:

http://www.tribnet.com/24hour/world/story/921026p-6413243c.html

Sad that the arts becomes a target:

This theater wasn't totally near opening, their performances were being help at the Bolshoi New stage and the Red Army Theater. I know this because I held rehearsals there through June. From the source- E

Yes, very sad. The only sadder thing is the centuries of oppression faced by the Chechnyan people under the domination of "Mother Russia," reprised by the counterrevolutionary Soviet government under Stalin and his bureaucratic successors . With no other recourse, and lacking the weapons of mass destruction that their oppressors possess, the Chechnyans must feel quite desperate to resort to such a shocking and hurtful tactic.

Oppressed though they might be, nothing justifies the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians.

As a reminder, this forum is for discussing dance, and it's not the place for political debates. While the fire was a tragedy, the poitics behind the fire are not appropriate topics of discussion for this board.

Kate

Beg pardon? This board is called "Dance Issues" and was created expressly because some of you objected to any but the consensus political point of view from being expressed on the other boards. If you succeed in gutting the entire site of political observations at variance with the consensus, where is the place for those who may sympathize with the plight of the Chechyans? They are a people not largely present in the dance world where their behavior is now being scrutinized and characterized. Such individuals are, by these renewed invocations of "appropriateness," being prevented from taking issue with those who concur that "sad" covers any and all permissable sentiments that may be expressed on the subject of the Moscow fire.

The fire is yes, "sad," Tom; the reasons for it even "sadder," and the attempt to quash discourse on the subject of why it occurred "saddest" of all, Kate.

I'm not sure where you got that idea. As the description on the main forum page says, Dance Issues is a place to "discuss issues in dance and related arts".



There are many, many forums on the web and on Usenet that exist for the general discussion of political issues. Criticaldance is not one of them. This has nothing to do with whether or not a position is "at variance with the consensus" (and I'm at a loss as to what you think "the consensus" might be).

Political discussions, as they relate to the arts in general and dance in particular, are appropriate here. People wishing to discuss other political issues should do so, by all means, but not on Criticaldance.

"Sad when the arts become a target." THAT is a political statement that reflects the consensus I referred to earlier. The individual who makes that statement is not directed to other "more appropriate" sites. If I find the term "target" perjorative in the political sense, I believe I have the right to express my opinion free of censure by those who are saddened because they see the arts as a target (of something). Something what? Something political.

This topic is now closed.