----- Original Message ----- From: "Alberto Monteiro" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Brin-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2002 8:08 AM Subject: Re: Etiquette
> I think it�s not the proper moment to criticize the > _executor_ of the Etiquette rules. When these rules > are posted [all the time], we all agree to them, either > implicitly [with our silence] or explicitly [by making > suggestions, such as removing the requirement to > add the e-mail to the signature]. Well, I think it is the proper moment. The rules have been enforced by dings from time to time. Picking one side of an argument that has degenerated and threatening them with expulsion for a rules violation and ignoring the actions of the other side a discussion group. To show the inconsistency shown by this threat, "the Fool" violates the guidelines with every post. We are supposed to let people know who we are. There has not been a word out of Ms. Tan on this matter. It doesn't bother me, because he isn't malicious. I don't want him threatened with expulsion because it would serve no point. However, general lax enforcement of rules, with certain violations singled out for ultra-strict enforcement is not a good way to enforce rules. Since Ms. Tan has not been an active member, my guess is someone complained to her, she read the posts that were pointed out in isolation, and decided that the person had a point. That is only a guess, though. > And JDG wasn�t banned, not as much as I was, when > we violated those rules [and IMHO my breaking of the > rules might be worse than his, because I did that > on purpose, while he did because his fingers type > faster than he thinks :-)] No, but the threat is there. How and when were you banned? > OTOH, if Etiquette-violators like me and JDG [whose > opinions are respected, and who few people would really > like to make us shut up] aren�t punished in public > [and I hated when Jeroen did that to me, as I told him > in the chat room] on what basis we can ask the list > moderators to punish trolls? Common sense. If Ms. Tan asked John and Jeroen to take it off list that would have been the norm. If she decided to single out JDG, then asking him to please not type in caps or to be careful to criticize the posts and not the poster, that would have been the norm. Instead she issued a bold faced threat of expulsion. I don't remember you being threatened with expulsion. Gautem is right, if he is kicked out for this action..this place turns into Animal Farm, where some animals are more equal than others. > Or do you *really* want a brin-l list with unmoderated > free speech? The moderation of speech here has usually been by community action. It is true that after the problems of 18 months ago, that hasn't worked out as well. But, in my mind, there have been far more serious violations that have gotten by without a peep. For example, making misleading statements about why someone has left the list (based on a private email), requiring that person to have someone post the real reasons. Even if the statements were true, one should never public disclose the contents of private email. As Julia said ,when Brin-L was set up, it was set up to be unmoderated, by the explicit request of David Brin. Dan M.
