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From: avolio@decuac.UUCP (Frederick M. Avolio)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Autodialing Falwell - a different perspective
Message-ID: <770@decuac.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 18-Jan-86 09:30:26 EST
Article-I.D.: decuac.770
Posted: Sat Jan 18 09:30:26 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Jan-86 05:18:56 EST
References: <1225@mtuxo.UUCP> <11434@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: ULTRIX Applications Center, MD
Lines: 39
Summary: Computer-aided harassment must never be considered acceptable

Let me start off by saying that I don't have strong opinions for or
against Jerry Falwell.  (He probably feels the same about me :-).)

In article <11434@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, spp@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Stephen P Pope) writes:
>     The whole point of civil disobedience is that society
> allows enough personal freedom that people can break the
> law, and will do it if they have a good enough reason.

People *are* free to break the law in every country everywhere.  The
consequences differ...  That's why people were arrested in front of
the South African Embassy in Washington, DC -- they were excersizing
civil disobedience.  They broke the law and got arrested for it.  This
has nothing to do with anyone's opinion on South Africa *or* Jerry
Falwell -- if laws are broken, someone should pay.  No one has the
*right* to break the law.  The terms are mutually exclusive.

Do you know where the money pledged to Jerry Falwell goes?  You'd
better before you decide that no one is getting hurt by this.
I guess you mean physically hurt.  Perhaps I wanted to call in and
pledge money and get a copy of whatever the latest thing is.
My right to do that (yes, we do have *that* right) was taken away
by this guy.

I too cannot believe that a member of the ACLU could advocate this
harassment.  And keep in mind that if enough people decide that this
is a real neat way to excersize civil disobedience (and please don't
think that this is a right because it is not) then no one will will be
immune from this kind of harassment.  No facing your accuser.  What if
you are wrongly accused? (I mean Mr.  Pope thinks that Rev.  Falwell
is in favor of bombing abortion clinics, which he is not.) What if the
auto-dialer is dialing the wrong number?  People do mistype.  You want
to dial-up Community Coffee's subscription number every 5 minutes?

No, if we favor this kind of action and see it as an acceptable means
of protest, then no organization is safe.  Do you want to read a
headline next September "COMPUTER HACKERS TIE UP M.D.  PLEDGE LINES --
Jerry's Kids lose millions!" It could happen.
-- 
Fred @ DEC Ultrix Applications Center    {decvax,seismo,cbosgd}!decuac!avolio