Chyrs,
Do you consider those who read and respond to the Opinion pages at The New York Times to be riffraff? If so, why?
It is up to you to be welcoming: to not require others to prove that they should be here, and to be supportive and kind.
Do not be afraid of those who imagine themselves to be better than you, especially those who posture themselves as being part of the intelligentsia. I have lived my whole life among intelligentsia, and my best advice is this: take and hold your ground � find the courage of your convictions, and then speak your mind as plainly as you are able to, without embarrassment and without apology.
Intelligentsia can be like mean dogs in that they sometimes respond to fear in others with aggression and attack. But intelligentsia can be as kind and generous as you are, too.
If you expect goodwill from others, you will generally get it as long as you are offering it to them first.
Steven A. Sylwester
