Re: [Paddlewise] Censorship

At 07:22 PM 7/30/98 -0700, you wrote:
>On Jul 30, 18:10, "Geo. Bergeron" wrote:
>> Subject: [Paddlewise] Censorship
>> I've posted twice a satirical reply to Bob Denton's tongue in cheek "Glue"
>> post. Satire strives to make a point by hyperbolizing issues to the point
>> of absurdity. It seems obvious to me that my post is satirical. The post is
>> not racist nor pornographic and seeks to make what I think is an important
>> point about the politics that go on in this group. 
>> 
>> 	So why the apparent censorship? Who's doing the censoring? And who
>> appointed this person as the overseer of what we as adults get to post and
>> read?
>> 
>> 	I'm annoyed. 
>
>Go cool off, George.  
>
>Paddlewise is a "semi-moderated" list.  It says so right in the info file
>you received every time you've signed up - and I know you've received it
>several times, as you keep unsubscribing whenever something new annoys you
>again.
>
>The Paddlewise list was set up because of excessive mailing list abuse
>on Wave~Length.  The idea was that a semi-moderated list was necessary
>to cut down on the flames, particularly (but by no means exclusively)
>the Tim Ingram Sponson flames.
>
>What does semi-moderated mean? It means that *most* postings go
>through immediately, but some get held back *for review* by the
>listowner, Jackie Fenton.  Most messages that are held for review are
>approved (I think) eventually, but it does depend on her availability
>and whether or not her computer is up.  She really isn't on the
>computer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, just to make sure your
>*possibly* offensive or inflammatory posting goes through immediately
>The computer is spectacularly bad at recognizing sarcasm.
>
>In addition to this, it is beyond reasonable to call "censorship" for
>any email message that has not been delivered for a day; most machines
>will try for a full *5* days to deliver mail.  That means that you can
>occasionally (rarely) get delays that long or very rarely even longer.
>
>So cool off and stop the "censorship" accusation already, or go start
>your *own* paddling mailing list.  Jackie appointed *herself*
>moderator of this list, and whether you know it or not, you've
>endorsed her position by *using* her list - this is not a public forum.
>Jackie (and me, and my company) spend time & resources giving you
>access to this *private* forum, and if you don't like it, go take your
>marbles and play somewhere else.
>
>I'm sure Jackie would not mind *polite* questions about why any message
>has or has not gotten through, but this kind of automatic public accusation,
>*especially* on a well-known semi-moderated list, is extremely rude.
>
>----------------------------
>
>And since you obviously have lost the info file for Paddlewise, here 
>it is again.  PLEASE *READ* *IT* THIS TIME!!!!
>

	OK . . . everyone read my question. I could be entirely wrong, but I feel
it's   entirely polite and reasonable. Just for the record. The question of
censorship involves the entire group, and so I addressed the entire group.

	Now read the response from Bob Meyers. It seems apparent to me (and again
I could be entirely wrong) that Meyers' reply is abrasive and inflammatory.
I think it's uncalled for, and I'm greatly put off by these petty attacks. 

	Just for the record. I reserve the right to be controversial. I suppose
there's a filter in the system for such dangerous terms as "Nazi,"
"Marxist," "stooge," "fascist," and god forbid "sponson." Further, let me
go on record as stating that these terms don't threaten my Weltanschauung.

	This might come as a huge shock to you. . . I don't keep close tabs on all
the policy statements of all the groups I subscribe to online. No,
paddlewise is NOT the center of my cosmos. 

	You may flame me to your heart's desire. Better flames than restricted
speech. 


	

______________________________
George Bergeron, Secretary '99
Oswego Heritage Council
http://www.europa.com/~heritage/

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