SR’s EMAIL NOTE, 2 June 2021
Hi, Michael. You’ve been stirring up hornets using me as a stick. Very naughty of you.
The learned Vespidae whose nests you’ve disturbed have every right to feel annoyed. I’m a bit annoyed, too – you really shouldn’t have used my innocent little email like this. But I forgive you, mostly for the judicious and illuminating response you have elicited from Mick Moore. I found it the more satisfying to read because it reassures me that my understanding of the subject, though a layman’s and doubtless superficial, is still correct.
The other learned gentlemen’s responses betray their (understandable) annoyance at this apparent territorial incursion by an ignorant bumblebee. Allow me to reassure them that they have no cause for alarm. I’m not an SL scholar, with or without the inverted commas; I’m a writer on subjects of what I hope are popular interest. For me, the work of these men is source material. I would not presume to contradict or correct it.
Concerning their responses here, therefore, I have little to say. Most are concerned with defending D.S. Senanayake’s land policies, or Senanayake himself. To me, that is all rather irrelevant; the land colonization schemes of the State Council era are merely one short thread in a very broad tapestry that I am weaving, forming a very small element on the periphery of the design. But these gentlemen couldn’t possibly know that; the are merely, and blamelessly, following your pointing finger. Reading through their various responses here, I found little to disagree with – and absolutely nothing that prompts me to alter my views.
My only particular reply is to the gentleman who was kind enough to correct my spelling. To him I say: good sir, I too have a modest specialization. It is the deployment of the English language. Look up ‘fetishization’ (or ‘specialization’ if you prefer) in a good dictionary (the Great or Shorter Oxford will do nicely) and you shall see what you shall see.
As for you, dear Prof. Roberts, I remain amusedly and (as always) most respectfully yours,
SR
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This Note from SR is a response directed at the following items:
- The Comments directed at SR’s First Memo in https://thuppahis.com/2021/05/29/under-fire-sri-lankas-colonization-programmes-and-economic-policies-1920s-to-2020/
- Chandre Dharmawardana: “Addressing A Criticism of DS Senanayake’s Dry Zone Colonization schemes,” 31 May 2021, ……………………………. https://thuppahis.com/2021/05/31/addressing-a-criticism-of-ds-senananyakes-dry-zone-colonization-schemes/
- Gerald Peiris: “Fostering the Peasant Sector in Sri Lanka:Misconceptions,” 1 July 2021, ……………………………………………. https://thuppahis.com/2021/06/01/51959/#more-51959
Thuppahi Editor’s ADDITION:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespidae …. to be visited with face-masks and body armour!
SINCE THEN …. SR sees the Vespidae as those zooming around him and he has, therefore, developed suitable body armour [pix sent by him]
