Keep up the good work James; I know how long and hard you’ve worked to create a successful business while sticking to your principles.

I have a family to feed too, and I worked in abject poverty for very many years to be able to be in the position I am today. So please don’t get all huffy on me – nobody has any special position of privilege here.

Instead of simply reacting, try taking the perspective that I am a friend who has pointed out something wrong with the way the awards have been set up this year.

When the organizer of the awards is invested in the outcome of the awards, in any way, then the neutrality of the awards is compromised. That’s not just me being a twit – that’s the way it is.

Just as I didn’t understand the public critique of the Edublogs Magazine when you tried starting it, I just don’t understand this kind of reaction.

I was a community organizer for nineteen years before I became a teacher. In each organization where I worked, we developed the only multi-ethnic organization in the area. Invariably, though, there would be people (who typically would never have done anything approaching the nitty gritty of organizing in their lives) who would note which ethnic groups weren’t represented in the organization and criticize us for not being inclusive enough (though not do anything to help reach out to that constituency).

Criticism you receive often reminds me of that experience.

Keep up the great work!

And I’d say the same thing even if you hadn’t nominated my blog!

Larry