Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!chinacat!balkan!dogface!bei From: bei@dogface (Bob Izenberg) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Student suspended for distributing /etc/passwd Message-ID: Date: 15 Jun 91 19:57:06 GMT References: <64655@bbn.BBN.COM> Distribution: na Lines: 66 cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) writes: > Now, the student might not have known > that this was actually as serious a matter as being a felony under > Georgia law, but still can hardly be defended as a harmless/blameless > action. I don't know any of the people involved in this situation, and I don't attend the school in question, so I have to view it through fairly general but possibly Rose-colored (heh heh heh) glasses. We have, in all fairness, only heard one side of this issue speak with any authority. The student in question, whose name isn't mentioned here out of (what may be) respect for their privacy, hasn't had their say in this medium of expression. The pointy-eared among us may admit that there are two possibilities: "They are unable to respond. They are unwilling to respond." It's unknown whether the school account was his (the generic, "I don't know this person's gender but I need a pronoun here," his) sole method of electronic communication, and a little anonymity might look pretty good right now. But here's the problem that I have: It's always the "authorities" that talk about their view of what may or may not be found to be criminal activities. They talk and talk in as many forums as possible, in as sensational a form as possible (and I don't have Michael Covington in mind when I say that,) in some cases when they're not even "authorities" (except to The Media) anymore. The little guy, the accused, the one who we so blithely talk about denying higher education to, doesn't have a voice here. What we might hear would be an apology (perhaps heartfelt, perhaps mandated by courts or lawyers) or an explanation of the circumstances from their point of view. The school probably won't provide the student with an avenue for expression, and if it did, this might make a statement condemning the student's own actions seem like part of a compromise of some kind. Whatever we did hear (or read, rather) would be their own statement, filtered through lawyers, perhaps, but not (until I know otherwise) penned by a representative of the aggrieved University. I have a question or three for Michael Covington: Does the student in question still have computing privileges? Do they have access to Usenet, and can they post freely? If anything other than the student themselves would keep them from telling their own story, please say so. Is the computer that the passwd file came from funded in any way by student activities fees (or whatever the surcharge that supports the school paper, radio station, film club, et cetera is called) charged by the school? I remember more than a few instances of schools that assessed the activities fee and then unequally gave access to those media. Someone with a better memory may be able to give specific examples. The long and short of it seems to be that up to now, the school has had the floor. Remember the old saw about equal access to express your opinion not being so equal when your (conceptual) opponent has a clear channel radio station and you've got a soapbox on the corner. Side note: I understand that there are reasons why The Student's name doesn't appear here. In writing this, I felt the same sense of awkwardness that I get when reading the symbolic references to "The Central Park Jogger." There is more than one student, and more than one jogger, but the names of both people haven't been made public. In somebody's mind, there is an awareness that some people have been through enough, and ad hominem publicity won't make their lot any easier. While there is no similarity in their situations, there may be in our reaction. People who've had trouble, be it self-inflicted or not, shouldn't have to be hearing about it the rest of their lives, nor should their families and friends. -- Bob Opinions expressed in this message are those of its author, except where messages by others are included with attribution. No endorsement of these opinions by Ralph Kirkley Associates or IBM should be inferred. Bob Izenberg [ ] Ralph Kirkley Associates work: 512 838 6311 [ ] bei@presto.austin.ibm.com home: 512 346 7019 [ ] bei@dogface.UUCP CIS: 76615.1413@compuserve.com