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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!bbnccv!bbncc5!sdyer
From: sdyer@bbncc5.UUCP (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Re.Re. Gettin' Satisfaction, a rebuttal
Message-ID: <158@bbncc5.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 1-Dec-85 20:15:20 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncc5.158
Posted: Sun Dec  1 20:15:20 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Dec-85 14:18:23 EST
References: <1447@decwrl.UUCP> <325@ucdavis.UUCP> <2874@pesnta.UUCP> <1242@hpda.UUCP>
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 34

> I beg your pardon:
> I couldn't disagree with you more.
> First,  whats the difference between misinformed non-gays telling us
> it is improper to  engage in gay sex, and your unilateral edict about 
> what is not proper to discuss within the confines of this group.
> ...
> In all seriousness (as it has unfortunatly turned out to be)
> I personally find it cleansing and   empowering to confront bigots
> and homophobes. I know that there are others who disagree with me 
> and this group is an OPEN FORUM where everyone caan express  their
> opinion. would You give us that freedom or take it away.
> Owen Rowley
> hpda!on

The big difference is that 'net.motss' was formed for the discussion of
gay-related issues, but not for right/wrong harangues.  This was stated in
the first posting announcing its creation, and it becomes necessary now and
again to repeat this.  You may find this kind of interaction "cleansing",
but we had a spate of this about a year or so ago, and "tiring" is a more
apt phrase, precisely because there is so little opportunity for discussion
between the defenders of both sides.  It takes vigilance and restraint to
keep any such exchange from degenerating into net.abortion histrionics.

It is absolutely proper for the readers of a newsgroup to apply peer
pressure in urging overeager participants to keep to the discussions for
which the group was formed.  This is hardly censorship: you may "empower"
yourself via private mail, or even poll the constituency for the creation
of a new news group devoted to the exchanges between homophobes and
homophiles.  But it is wrong of you to get on Kim's case for pointing
out the groundrules which form the basis of all USENET groups.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
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