Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!world!bzs From: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Censorship on the USENET Message-ID: Date: 6 Nov 90 15:28:17 GMT References: <1990Nov05.033218.21980@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <1990Nov5.194650.197@eff.org> <18697@rpp386.cactus.org> Sender: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) Distribution: na Organization: The World Lines: 23 In-Reply-To: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org's message of 6 Nov 90 01:06:02 GMT I don't think the argument "we can't afford to buy *every* book" washes in a case like this. That would merely be a lie to cover up the real motives. Presumably the motives are a matter of record or at least someone who was present and dissatisfied related the real motives, or it comes out when the decision is challenged. I realize we live in a world where duplicitous politics are the norm, but acceding to them is an even worse state of affairs. If they kept out a book by Mark Twain because of some political motive and claimed to the public they were supposed to be serving that it was merely a cost-saving message then fire them for that, lying to the people who provide their pay checks, regardless of the underlying issues. Somehow we have to make lying from public officials more dangerous than telling the truth. Somewhere we have failed to do this. -- -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die | {xylogics,uunet}!world!bzs | bzs@world.std.com Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202 | Login: 617-739-WRLD