Re: [ga] Proposal for mailing list policy

[Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com>]

Kent and all,

Kent Crispin wrote:

> On Thu, Jan 13, 2000 at 08:51:08AM -0800, Joe Kelsey wrote:
>
> [excellent discussion]
>
> Just a couple of points:
>
> > Censorship in the United States is defined by the government restricting
> > the rights of free expression.  When a private company (e.g., ICANN)
> > wishes to carry on a productive discussion, it has every right to insist
> > on minimum rules for civility and decorum.
>
> Louis Touton posted an analysis of this issue for the NC or such a
> while back, and pointed out that there was no requirement in the bylaws
> that the DNSO provide a GA list at all.

  Well it is obvious that Louis Touton was incorrect.  I believe he
was aware of this when he was challenged by his statement from
Russ Smith last week.

>
>
> > I, for one, do not wish to
> > be subjected to the childish and unproductive antics of such entities as
> > those who identify themselves as the so-called jeff williams and joe
> > baptista, whether or not these entities are real persons or merely
> > pranksters pulling our legs.  They have nothing productive to add and
> > want only to draw attention to themselves.
>
> Not only that, but on occasion the behaviour is truly offensive and/or
> threatening.  If you are walking in the park and a beggar asks for some
> money, that may be free speech.  But if they casually finger a
> switchblade knife while asking for money, that's a different matter.
> It's very convenient for online thugs to hide under "freedom of
> speech", but it is thuggery, nonetheless.

  A dubious characterization here at best Kent.  One must define in
specific terms what is abusive, or to use your discriminatory term,
"Thuggery".  I don't know of one that has been specifically defined
as of yet.  Do you?  Or anyone?


>
>
> > Censorship in most of the rest of the world is fairly close to the US
> > model.  In any case, ICANN is a private US corporation, thus limiting
> > discussion list membership is in no way censorship.
>
> This is true in the public sector as well.  Disruptive behavior will get
> you thrown out of all kinds of government fora.

  Indeed it will.  Disruptive actions have also bee positively successful
in the past as well as history has shown, such as the WTO conference
in Seattle in Early December '99 shows clearly.  And  good thing it
was effective as well as our US president properly publicly stated.

>
>
> --
> Kent Crispin                               "Do good, and you'll be
> kent@songbird.com                           lonesome." -- Mark Twain

Regards,

--
Jeffrey A. Williams
Spokesman INEGroup (Over 95k members strong!)
CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java/CORBA Development Eng.
Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com
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