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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!decvax!wivax!dyer
From: dyer@wivax.UUCP (Stephen Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d
Subject: Re: Offensiveness (long article) - (nf)
Message-ID: <18930@wivax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Nov-83 10:51:41 EST
Article-I.D.: wivax.18930
Posted: Thu Nov  3 10:51:41 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Nov-83 12:52:11 EST
References: <90@tekcad.UUCP>
Organization: Wang Institute, Tyngsboro, Ma.  01879
Lines: 15

I find Ray Bradbury's comments quite agreeable, but I find Frank Adrian's
use of them to advance his argument a little misguided.  A joke like
BLKTRAN is nothing more than an excuse to spout venom upon a particular
minority group in a public forum--it is in no way analogous to the
retro-bowdlerization of literary works proposed by the neo-puritans.
Are members of the net wrong in voicing their strong objections to articles
like BLKTRAN?  I think that USENET is committed to free expression, but when
such behavior becomes an agent of hate or ridicule upon some minority
group, it behooves us to take exception to it, for silence is acquiescence.

Is asking people to follow generally accepted rules of order and propriety
censorship?  I don't think so.

/Steve Dyer
decvax!bbncca!sdyer