Re: School Has Started

[cust_ts@cc.Helsinki.FI (Tero Sand)]

Joe. I sincerely think that you are stepping way, way out of line, if
you will try to get people kicked off the net *purely* for "obscene"
language. I t is somewhat hard to define what kind of behavior should
actually lead to such things, at least on usenet (on Internet, such
actions are easy to define: releasing viruses, breaking in, wrecking
havoc on file systems, etc). The reason is somewhat simple: usenet is a
public forum, equivalent to walking into a (*large*) bar, and discussing
with people. If you get disruptive, a bar owner can throw you out, but I
have a humongously hard time seeing the use of "obscene" language as
disruptive. _You_ might be offended, but, basically, that's your
problem. You can always not read a specific group, or you can always
"kill" persons you find offensive.
What you can do is keep bringing your viewpoint up. But, basically,
that's it. 

Think of it this way. If kicking people off because of "obscene"
language would be OK, then you would be allowed to get sysadmins sacked
for carrying the alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.* groups. Or, a religious
fundamentalist could demand the abolishment of the groups alt.atheism or
sci.bio.evolution or, depending on their particular affiliation, one (or
more) of the soc.religion.* groups.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear, in addition to me not being a
crook. I'm not accusing you of censorship. What I am saying is that what
constitutes obscenity is a matter of opinion (not totally, but there
isn't anything like universal consensus), and getting people kicked off
the net simply because you don't like the way something is said opens a
can of worms you don't want to deal with.

So, keep voicing your opinion on the matter, but drop any ideas of
crusades.
-- 
Tero Sand, 2 kyu (4k*)		! "We have become... the stewards of life's
				! continuity on Earth. We did not ask for this
EMail: cust_ts@cc.helsinki.fi	! role, but we cannot abjure it. We may not be
       custts@cc.helsinki.fi	! suited for it, but here we are." -S.J. Gould