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- Newsgroups: alt.comp.acad-freedom.talk
- Path: sparky!uunet!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!cs.uiuc.edu!kadie
- From: kadie@cs.uiuc.edu (Carl M. Kadie)
- Subject: [alt.censorship] Re: I've just been repremanded by net.big.brother
- Message-ID: <Bz45rv.Ht6@cs.uiuc.edu>
- Followup-To: alt.comp.acad-freedom.talk,alt.censorship
- Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
- Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 21:16:42 GMT
- Lines: 61
-
- [A repost - Carl]
-
- Newsgroups: alt.censorship
- From: dave@bradley.bradley.edu (David Vessell)
- Subject: Re: I've just been repremanded by net.big.brother
- Message-ID: <1992Dec11.192941.4095@bradley.bradley.edu>
- Date: Fri, 11 Dec 92 19:29:41 GMT
-
- awells@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu (Andrew V. Wells) writes:
-
- >I just received this scolding from a net official at my
- >university:
- >>Andy,
- >> It has come to my attention that a number of complaints have
- >>been posted and mailed to Northeastern relative the the content of some
- >>recent postings to the internet from your account. While neither DAC or
- >>the University have any intention of restricting free speech, there are
- >>standards for reasonable conduct. Obscenities and name calling reflect
- >>badly on this University especially in a world wide forum. In the
- >>future, please refrain from using such offensive language; it
- >>contributes nothing to any kind of discussion.
- >
- >Doesn't this constitute a subtle form of censorship?
-
- I realize the risks of taking this subject on in alt.censorship, but....
-
- I don't think it's censorship. They could have just turned off your
- account or (like here) revoked your ability to post articles to the net,
- and that would have been censorship. All I see is a polite request that
- you police yourself. Had they said "or else..." on the end or threatened
- punitive measures, then that would be closer to censorship.
-
- Freedom of speech in your forum is really a privilege, as is the case at
- most private universities that grant their students net access, including
- Bradley (though it goes without saying that if a university says it upholds
- free speech, it's in its own best interest to do so in practice). However,
- every article you post has Northeastern University attached to it. It's
- more of a free press issue than a free speech issue; the university owns
- the 'press' (the computer used to access the net) and therefore enjoys
- editorial powers over its 'contributors'.
-
-
- > The scary thing is that
- >the real powerhouses behind all of this are not just people
- >like tipper gore, but ultra-right wing fanatic religous
- >fronts with Orwellian names such as the "American Family
- >Association."
-
- I agree completely, but I'm afraid your only real defense of your actions
- is philosophical. If you want absolute free speech on the net, it's
- entirely possible for you to buy a PC, install Unix on it, install a news
- reader on it, and arrange a net connection. Otherwise, all you can do is
- talk your university into agreeing with your philosophy.
-
- --
- davE. Making the world safe for intelligent dance music. dave@bradley.edu.
- ########## David L. Vessell -- Bradley University Computing Services #########
- "I generally don't sing along with people who tie me up." - Robin Williams
- --
- Carl Kadie -- I do not represent any organization; this is just me.
- = kadie@cs.uiuc.edu =
-