Xref: utzoo talk.politics.misc:9609 news.admin:2079
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!phri!dasys1!gf
From: gf@dasys1.UUCP (G Fitch)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,news.admin
Subject: Re: Fascism Lives (Courtesy and counterproductive lack of it)
Message-ID: <4266@dasys1.UUCP>
Date: 4 May 88 19:44:56 GMT
References: <1048@ut-emx.UUCP> <2475@c3pe.UUCP> <328@nvuxk.UUCP> <3343@drivax.UUCP> <567@vsi.UUCP> <3354@drivax.UUCP> <4163@dasys1.UUCP> <70@dcs.UUCP>
Reply-To: gf@dasys1.UUCP (G Fitch)
Distribution: na
Organization: The Big Electric Cat
Lines: 43

In article <70@dcs.UUCP> wnp@dcs.UUCP (Wolf N. Paul) writes:
}In article <4163@dasys1.UUCP> gf@dasys1.UUCP (G Fitch) writes:
}>In following this discussion, I have been surprised to see that
}>no one seems to think free speech is a good thing in itself.  It
}>is always referred to as a burden or a privilege.
}>
}>I think free speech is good, in itself; and, as an implication of
}>this belief, I think free speech is good for USENET.  Regardless
}>of whether USENET is constrained by law to admit it.  Does someone
}>want to challenge my belief?
}>
}>Free speech, by the way, includes obnoxious speech.
}
}It is not "Free Speech" which is good (if I call you an a**hole, is that good?),
}but "FreeDOM of Speech".

Free speech is supposed to be the result of freedom of speech.  I would
far rather let you call me names, than take away your ability to do so.
So in that sense, if you call me an a**hole, it is good.  On USENET I can 
always hit 'n'.

}However, one person's freedom often must end where another's freedom begins:
}i.e. if you are free to speak abusively within my earshot or in the privacy
}of my home, then I am no longer free to limit what I hear to that which I
}consider pleasant or appropriate.

See above.

}Further, while there may be freedom of speech, USENET also involves the
}privilege ....

Once again, right, law & privilege are invoked.  I say free speech is
good in itself, outside of destructive acts like libel or appending
a dump of vmunix to your .signature file.  Does anyone agree?
 
}And just in case someone thinks that then we need to abolish private property,

This has nothing to do with my posting, or anyone else's on this
topic that I have seen.
-- 
G Fitch	        				{uunet}!mstan\
The Big Electric Cat     {ihnp4,harvard,philabs}!cmcl2!cucard!dasys1!gf
New York City, NY, USA  (212) 879-9031          {sun}!hoptoad/