[Rhodes22-list] Soap Boxes

[Bill Effros]

Bill,

When I was in college, a decision was made to permit George Lincoln Rockwell, the head of the American Nazi Party, to speak to the student body.  Free speech.  Free country.  Every voice should be heard.

Most agreed with the decision, but initially there was little agreement about an appropriate response.  Finally, after much debate, a consensus emerged.   Everyone who could fit into the hall would attend.  There would be no banners.  There would be no disruptions.  At the end of the speech there would be no challenges.  No questions.  Everyone would simply and quietly leave.

Rockwell delivered a vile speech, and then asked for audience response, whereupon the entire student body simply got up and walked out, leaving him ranting at the podium.  It was the most effective protest I have ever seen.

My impression is that this list has elected to protest the puerile postings of some members in much the same way.  Most of the people on this list are not fools.  Anyone seeking an intelligent discussion of all sides of any issue can find it here.  Many of these discussions have been fascinating, especially because there are literally hundreds of us with nothing in common except a boat.

The issue you raise has occured to others.  The strength of the list is that you raise it publicly, rather than just dropping off the list.  The number of different people posting inflammatory claptrap has been greatly reduced from earlier times.  I think most people agree with you and protest with their delete keys.

In the past, when this issue came up, we asked that jokes and politics be clearly posted in the subject line so that people who do not wish to read these things in this forum will not be tricked into reading something they consider offensive.  As always, most people comply, but a few persist, and think saying "Oh, silly me!" is cute.


Michael,

Let's enforce the rules about labelling jokes and politics in the subject line.  We should not wait until someone is offended and feels the only option is to leave the list.  People who have been on the list, and know the rules, should point this out to newcomers as soon as the rules are broken.  There is really no excuse or rationale for this type of behavior.

Bill Effros



----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bill Berner 
To: 'The Rhodes 22 mail list' 
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 3:19 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Soap Boxes


I've been prompted to write by Brad's last couple of posts, especially
"Rumsfeld apologizes"

I started in to write a suggestion that the list charter be modified to ask
that members be refrain from soap boxing their political positions.

Then I realized that it would be asking for the group to curtail Freedom of
Speech.

So, I'm left with a conundrum. 

I am personally sick and tired of the inflammatory conservative claptrap
that shows up here.  It's isn't always the substance that irks me so much,
but the belligerance, sarcasm and school yard bullying quality of so many of
the posts. I have rarely seen any acknowledgement that issues can be
multifaceted and complicated. 

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like all of the cannon fire comes from the
starboard side, and I'm pretty tired of it.

Chances are that I'll have to quit the list to resolve the issue, not a
choice I easily make.  There has been some good company here, and lot's of
good information.  

Curious to see responses, then I'll shut up and make a decision.


Bill Berner
191 South Broadway
Hastings on Hudson, NY  10706
 
v 914 478 2896
f 914 478 3856
e BBerner at optonline.net
 

-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of brad haslett
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 12:37 PM
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Rumsfeld Apologizes

May 26, 2003 
Rumsfeld Apologizes for Hyping Saddam Threat 
(2003-05-26) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld apologized to Senate Democrats today for
pre-war "hyping" of the threat posed by Saddam
Hussein's regime. 

"I'm sorry Senators Biden, Rockefeller, Byrd, Roberts
and others," said a contrite Mr. Rumsfeld. "We
overestimated the threat posed by a lunatic dictator,
who hated the U.S. and Israel, and who paid rewards to
families of Palestinian terrorists. In an age when two
of the world's tallest buildings can be brought down
with tools used by the stockboy at K-Mart, we should
have demanded more concrete evidence of exotic weapons
of mass destruction. Saddam was helpless as a kitten
up a tree."

Sen. Rockefeller, D-WV, said Congress must determine
whether the administration "intentionally
overestimated" Iraq's weapons program, or "just
misread it. ... In either case it's a very bad
outcome."

Mr. Rumsfeld agreed, "What an awful outcome. We deeply
regret freeing the Iraqi people from a murderous gang
of thugs masquerading in the United Nations as a
representative republic. We're sorry that the Iraqi
people have discovered thousands of graves of their
Saddam-murdered relatives. It's none of our business
if people want to live like that."




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