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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!tekcad!ricks
From: ricks@tekcad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d
Subject: Re: Re: Offensiveness (long article) - (nf)
Message-ID: <100@tekcad.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 6-Nov-83 22:26:28 EST
Article-I.D.: tekcad.100
Posted: Sun Nov  6 22:26:28 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Nov-83 04:48:05 EST
Sender: ricks@tekcad.UUCP
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
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#R:amd70:-406400:tekcad:10200006:000:2268
tekcad!franka    Nov  6 10:01:00 1983


Mr. Dyer:
	Yes, it is true. One man's "right to expression" is another man's
"irresponsible use of a broadcast medium". The only problem that remains
is who will decide. There were approximately 20 people who wrote articles
saying that they were offended by the BLKTRAN article. This is a very small
percentage of the net populace. There were two articles by given site manage-
ment who were offended. Again, a very small percentage of network sites.
Clearly, the majority has spoken by their eloquent silence. Most of the
people didn't give a damn one way or another. So along come the gallant
twenty plus two who say that because they are offended they have the right
to censor someone. They first try to use coercion (sites threaten to leave
the net) and then try to threaten them with action against their site (why
else would people be quoting "rules" about removal of troublesome sites from
the net, Mr. Dyer?).
	If such a small minority can try to stop one article, Steve, where
does it stop? I'm sure I could get 20 people to write flames about your
article and I even know a couple of site managers who could threaten to
leave the net unless you stop your "foul output". The issue is not one of
good or bad, right or wrong, black or white - the issue is whether we let
a very small vocal minority control the medium. I feel it is even worse
when we let our own fears of what might happen silence us. I don't mind if
you respond, Steve. I don't want to silence opinions. You and Mr. Ngai have
a right to respond to my statements. I welcome these responses. You are
right. The problem of censorship has not been discussed on the net. It is
a very knotty (naughty?) issue which should be discussed formally. I feel
that there are no strongly defined bounds of propriety. Furthermore, I
feel that trying to proscribe such boundaries is extremely dangerous and
as such should not be drawn lightly.
	If you wish to continue this conversation, Mr. Dyer, I suggest we
move to net.flame or net.misc or net.politics. I don't think that the
censorship issue has much to do with discussions of jokes.

               				From the truly menacing,
   /- -\       				but usually underestimated,
    <->        				Frank Adrian
               				(tektronix!tekcad!franka)