On Internet and social responsibility

Sat Sep 15 22:59:16 UTC 2001

On Sat, 15 Sep 2001, Andy Walden wrote:

> > I believe we were talking about the custom/concept of free speech as
> > [supposedly practiced in the U.S.] opposed to the Constitutional "Free
> > Speech".
> 
> Sorry, I didn't realize there was a difference. Basically my point is that
> if I restrict what you say, its not a violation of Freedom of Speech, only
> if the Government restricts speech.

Actually, if I understand it correctly (and of course, IANAL-larvae), this
is not *always* true in the U.S., although this would hold for the vast
majority of private causes.

> Btw, I would only try to restrict speech if it was directed towards me and
> not welcome.

Personally, I have no problem with anyone saying *anything* (of course we
are assuming here that it is said in "good faith", regardless of how
tasteless, wrongheaded, or just flat out wrong it may in fact be),
provided they are using their own press/website/whatever to say it.  While
I realize that it may cause the firestorm, I hold that SPAM is will
usually qualify as OK by this definition. Hey, I have a delete key for
those I don't want to listen to...

>andy

-- 
Yours, 
J.A. Terranson
sysadmin at mfn.org

If Governments really want us to behave like civilized human beings, they
should give serious consideration towards setting a better example:
Ruling by force, rather than consensus; the unrestrained application of
unjust laws (which the victim-populations were never allowed input on in
the first place); the State policy of justice only for the rich and 
elected; the intentional abuse and occassionally destruction of entire
populations merely to distract an already apathetic and numb electorate...
This type of demogoguery must surely wipe out the fascist United States
as surely as it wiped out the fascist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The views expressed here are mine, and NOT those of my employers,
associates, or others.  Besides, if it *were* the opinion of all of
those people, I doubt there would be a problem to bitch about in the
first place...
--------------------------------------------------------------------