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From: mcb@ncis.tis.llnl.gov (Michael C. Berch)
Newsgroups: news.admin,news.groups,gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: Changes to Alternative Newsgroup Hierarchies
Message-ID: <325@ncis.tis.llnl.gov>
Date: 27 Jul 89 21:25:25 GMT
References: <323@ncis.tis.llnl.gov> <8427@bsu-cs.bsu.edu>
Organization: Postmodern Consulting, Pleasanton CA USA
Lines: 31

In article <8427@bsu-cs.bsu.edu> dhesi@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (Rahul Dhesi) writes:
> In <323@ncis.tis.llnl.gov> mcb@ncis.tis.llnl.gov (Michael C. Berch) writes:
> >There is nothing wrong with use of the publicly-funded networks for
> >open discussion of any issue, including political and philosophical
> >issues, but I believe that use of them as a private forum for
> >political advocacy, where opposing viewpoints are suppressed, is
> >contrary to the charter and purpose of those networks and should be
> >considered a gross abuse of privilege.
> 
> I'm in favor of freedom and the free market myself, but I still
> disagree with the above criticism.  I don't know what will and will not
> be suppressed in gnu.* newsgroups, but it doesn't matter.  Criticism
> can still be expressed in talk.politics.misc, which is where political
> discussion usually goes.  As I understand it, the intent of the gnu
> hierarchy is to facilitate technical, not political, discussion.

Precisely so.  I have no objection to a complete bar of politics and
philosophy from the gnu technical groups.  But the charter as
previously quoted doesn't say "No politics in the gnu groups"; it
says, in effect, "No politics except OUR politics in the gnu groups",
and that is not acceptable on a publicly subsidized network.  

Presumably gnu.misc.discuss was formed to siphon the political and
philosophical debates out of gnu.gcc, and that is fine, as long as it
is done in an evenhanded, nonexclusive manner.  From what I have seen
so far in gnu.misc.discuss, this seems to be true.  If it becomes 
otherwise, then I think we have a problem.

--
Michael C. Berch  
mcb@tis.llnl.gov / uunet!tis.llnl.gov!mcb