GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2009-08 > 1251045256


From: "Diana Gale Matthiesen" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] validity
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:34:16 -0400
References: <BEB39975B6D0446EA8D6FC877E76C1F4@HP><512057.52618.qm@web111412.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To: <512057.52618.qm@web111412.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>


Hello Beth,

Thank you for the kind words. The reason I don't behave as if I were
intimidated is that I'm not intimidated, either personally or academically.
There is no one on this list who intimidates me -- except Jim Bullock. ;-)

I believe we should treat each other as respected peers, which is why you see me
reacting sharply to condescension.

Diana

> -----Original Message-----
> From: On Behalf Of Beth Long
> Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 6:31 AM
> To:
> Subject: Re: [DNA] validity
>
> Love your charts, Diana. Nice job!
>  
> On this board, as you know, most of the discussion is about
> the "big picture" in which the main contributors try to
> explain everything at once, and come up with theories that
> apply universally. This is their particular line of interest.
> And many of them have no patience at all for those who they
> do not see as "on their level".
>  
> At the same time, there are other folks who see that DNA
> technlogy is a very fine tool for resolving specific
> genealogical questions which arise during the course of their
> paper research. Some of them have been at the paper research
> for many, many years and are now, via DNA getting answers to
> questions they thought could never be resolved.
>  
> While the "genealogy" people on the list are generally at
> great pains to speak politely to the "technical"people, the
> reverse is unfortunalely not always true.
>  
> Genealogy is a discipline in its own right which requires a
> particular skill set. (I am not referring here to people who
> simply "harvest" other people's original research as posted
> on the Internet). Empirical observations can also be
> important, and some of the "theorizers" might actually learn
> something from them once in a while :)
>  
> Mutual respect would be nice. Then project admins might be
> more likely come forward with questions or observations about
> some of the interesting things they find in the course of
> their own work. As it is, many are reluctant to do so because
> they don't want to be bullied by the "Big Boys" and/or
> because their work is trivialized. I know this is true (this
> thread is a case in point) and because many people write me
> off list and express this sentiment. I have often been on the
> verge of posting a thought, observation, or question, but
> have not done so because it gets me upset if one of the  
> "experts" tells me I'm an idiot. So if I have a question, I
> usually write to someone off-list rather than post here.
>  
> Fortunately, Diana is made of tougher stuff, and doesn't get
> intimidated easily. In this case, she is spot-on, and clearly
> knows her own project inside and out.
>  
> Beth Long
> Hungarian Bukovina Admin
> Hungarian Magyar Co-Admin
>
>
>
>
>
>
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