Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!rex!uflorida!gatech!mcnc!ecsgate!ecsvax!seals
From: seals@uncecs.edu (Larry W. Seals)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: The Moderator Who Doesn't Give A Shit
Summary: Excuse me?
Message-ID: <1991Feb11.212313.8461@uncecs.edu>
Date: 11 Feb 91 21:23:13 GMT
References: <74436@bu.edu.bu.edu> <1991Feb11.185846.20778@lavaca.uh.edu>
Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service
Lines: 74

In article <1991Feb11.185846.20778@lavaca.uh.edu>, jet@karazm.math.uh.edu ("J. Eric Townsend") writes:
> 
> 
> 
> This has about as much to do with EFF as anything else in this goofy
> thread.  One of my biggest concerns related to the global village is that
> people with biased interests will take over various channels of
> communication while constantly claiming how "fair" they are to
> the other side.  Imagine the uproar if talk.abortion was moderated
> by an anti-abortion activist.  Or if comp.unix.aix was moderated
> by an IBM employee.
> 
I agree that on the surface this doesn't seem like the correct forum
for this thread, but then again why do we always assume that the threat
to our freedom to think and do as we please comes from the outside of
our ranks (the FBI, the SS, the police, greedy corporations, etc.)?
One of MY biggest concerns is having someone presume that if I have a
strong opinion on a subject, that makes me universally unable to act
in a fair and impartial manner.  I would have no objection to having
talk.abortion or comp.unix.aix (or any group) moderated by someone with
strong opinions (either pro or con) as long as I saw both sides of an
issue discussed.

> In article <74436@bu.edu.bu.edu> this newsgroup only - Not to me personally writes: [Townson, not Townsend, writes]
> >Where is it written that this net is to parrot the liberal nonsense
> >spouted by several of you?
> 
> Hoist by his own petard!  I was feeling sorry for you, Patrick, up
> until this.  I thought you were going to actually defend yourself
> in a relatively unbiased manner by showing how you honestly try
> and keep your own politics out of your postings.  Oh well.
> 
Whoa, there, big fella!  I didn't realize that one had to discard their
opinions and perspective to post on the net.  Pat has every right to
sound off just as you have.  It's almost as if you're saying that he
can't indulge in what you're "liberally" dishing out.

> >I don't intend to be silent merely to placate those of you who do not
> >like what I have to say. I will continue to say what I want, when I
> >want, and try to always accomodate 'the opposing viewpoint'. If you
> 
> In other words, you've got a "bully pulpit", and you'll use it to
> further your own ends as much as possible; but you'll also do the
> "opposing viewpoint" the great favor of editing *their* point of
> view before you print it.  Tell me, oh great moderator, who
> gets to edit *your* point of view?
> 
I don't think that adding a note to a posting qualifies as editing to
change the meaning.  I have yet to see Pat accused of changing the
wording of a message or to render it in such form that the intent was
not readily discerned.  Those who work and play out here in the 
electronic frontier desire the same sort of freedom that is afforded
the print media.  But when was the last time you wrote to the editorial
board at your local newspaper or favorite magazine decrying their
appending a note to the letter to the editor (or their bias)?

Who gets to edit Pat's point of view?  We do, by voting with our feet.
But since the majority (of which I am one) seem comfortable with how
the Digest is run (and I judge that by the amount of traffic seen 
there), I suppose this is a moot point.

By the way, where are all the people screaming "Censorship!" when a
sys.admin shuts down a newsfeed for no other reason than perceived
bias?  Maybe we need a law here on the frontier that says:

    "Innocent Until Proven Guilty!"

**********************************************************************
Larry Seals @ Trailing Edge Software - "When it doesn't have to be
                                          the very best!"
"I didn't sell my soul, I just took out a loan..." - Bruce Hornsby

    - My opinions are my own, and I'll keep them. -
**********************************************************************