Respecting others' opinions

Very often I am attacked by some readers of The Jakarta Post, but four "attacks", all at once (The Jakarta Post Sept. 2, 1995), represents an "assault".

No problem for me. I'm a fighter and, overall, I'm sure to be in the right. Here are my responses to the four attackers, one by one.

Mr. Peter R. Cross: Isn't worth spending too many words on; his questions are rambling and my answers to him would be self- evident truths. I'll leave him hoping that, the very first time he has the opportunity to go inside a stadium, he finds somebody able to give him all dual information on the "patchiness of the English grass" and, moreover, on the "skinniness of linesmen's legs". Everyone has their likes.

Ms. The Sioe Kek: She grants she "doesn't know the first thing about soccer," therefore why does she venture on a field abstruse to her? If Ms. Kek would have written a letter dealing with high- fashion or teaching how to cook a chicken, I wouldn't dare to criticize her. Ms. Kek, chacun son role (to each his own), or, if you like, Cuique suus.

Mr. Giuseppe Arnosti: His letter is a clear display of contradiction. He suggested to me that "people have different opinions which would be respected also by me," but I cannot understand why he doesn't respect my opinions. By the way, I would like to answer Mr. Arnosti's last question concerning my interference in Indonesian matters: I think that our "real country" is the one in which we have decided to have our own "home". It represents the difference between to "live in a place" and to "live a place".

Mr. Adrian Bulpin: I don't "want" but I "would like" that all European soccer matches should have an Indonesian commentary. Unfortunately, it isn't up to me to decide such a thing. I just wonder why Indonesian networks prefer to direct their sports programs towards the 10 percent of the audience instead of to the 90 percent of it. Mr. Bulpin, you are completely wrong in your statement: English commentary is neither made of a worthy quality, nor are the players' names pronounced correctly, except English names, of course. German, French and Spanish players' names are pronounced in a strange way: Lombardo becomes "Lambaaado" and, very funny indeed, the defender of Lazio's team, Chamot, becomes "Sheeemo" which in the Italian language means "stupid."

PIERO RONCI

Jakarta