Judging Ethics

[Jennifer Carlson]

Talana, as usual, comes late into a discussion ---

I must say that Moriel's comment about scoring down someone because Moriel
knew they could do better has me perplexed.  It reminds me of parental 
discussions over my report card.  An entered item should be judged on its
own particular merits, not by the judge's personal knowledge of whether it
was dashed off in haste or done with patient meticulousness.

As for judging the works of the spouse or friend or apprentice, I think I 
could do it with objectivity; however, I do feel uncomfortable with the
concept, if only for appearance's sake - gossips do not need any encouragement.

I did once have the unpleasant experience of dealing with a friend and the 
research paper he wanted to enter.  It was a great paper, and I'm sure it would
have won, but:  it was a paper he had written for a university class, and I had
assisted with the editing of it.  It took a good deal of arguing and persuasion
to convince him to withdraw it and submit another paper instead.  I couldn't
beg off judging the event, and I steadfastly refused to judge it because I had
had a hand in its writing.  I gave what I felt to be a fair score and comment 
on the paper he did finally submit (which was also excellent).


Yours in service,

Dunstana Talana the Violet, OL
who has found out that, working for a
church, Holy Week is more like Hell Week :)