Re: Mr. Censor: Cease & Desist

[btm805@btrtx9.hrz.uni-bayreuth.de (B. Gramlich)]

Fang, Re:

> In giving him the benefit of the doubt, I have not mentioned his name to
> them, but described the situation that he has created and refuses to stop.
> They are VERY interested in receiving any such mail that he has sent or may
> continue to send and will take appropriate action.
> 
> So, here's the deal Richard. No more unwanted e-mail. If anyone complains
> again about this AFTER you've had the opportunity to read this (by AM EST
> 5/23/96), I will post the official PTC e-mail address to the Digest, where,
> the rest of us can take matters into our own hands and forward your mail
> accordingly.

1.  Uh, hard stuff...

Well, Fang, don't you think that this goes just a little too far?  Wouldn't it
have been better first to inform Rich T. about your intention to contact his
employer?  This would have been only a threat, whereas the `deal' you are
offering now looks pretty much like blackmailing that guy.  I don't think that
we have already reached the point where nothing else than taking `legal
measures' against him seems appropriate...

Sure, Rich T. has abused his employer's name in all of his e-mails.  He has
dragged this name through the mud by using it in sig lines under ridiculous,
harassing, sometimes even insulting postings.  And, right, if he wants to
continue his `crusade' against off-topic postings, he really should at least
change his sig, or, even better, send all those bloody e-mails from a private
address.

But look around, Fang. - How many of us listers are actually using private
e-mail addresses?  Lots of us, including myself, use e-mail facilities of their
employer or their schools instead.  Well, wouldn't it open a can of worms if
we started to threaten anybody who posts something we dislike with contacting
his employer?

Thus it seems to me like you are doing exactly the same as what you accuse
Rich T. of:  You are assuming a cop's role on this list.  That's no longer
funny like all those let's-tease-Mr.-Censor postings - it's really worrisome
for it threatens to destroy the climate of fun and friendship we enjoy on this
list.

Please reconsider these consequences before posting PTC's address.  Thanks.


2.  No, I am not defending Mr. Censor here.  Although I understand (and, up to
a certain degree, appreciate) his motifs, his actions really were both silly
and ruthless.  And what's even worse - he doesn't even seem to realize what
damage he has inflicted on this list.

Though not being a `victim' of his junk mails, I tried to convince him to stop
this childish behaviour with my recent posting in the `censorship' thread.
Rich T. answered privately with a complaint about how much he is sick of being
smacked into the face by other listers in spite of his noble intentions and -
in his eyes - reasonable behaviour.  Well, I took the time to write a really
lengthy private e-mail to him, trying to explain why he is wrong and why the
others might legitimately be angry with him.  Again I suggested him rather to
participate than to try to rule the list.

The sad thing is - he didn't answer with even a single line in 24 hours.  Some
`Thank you.' or `Sorry, I have to disagree, because...' was the least I had
expected.  Instead, I must hear from Mark that Mr. Censor took the time to
harass him explicitely in a non-standard private message.

This is the point where I really think that Rich T. owes us some apology.

He behaves disgustingly, though I am not yet completely convinced that he is a
bad guy.

At least up to now, I don't think it would be appropriate to endanger his
employment.


3.

> Personally, I find having to post this "distasteful", but you've brought this
> on yourself.

I agree with you, Fang - your posting is more distasteful than Mr. Censor has
been up to now.

Wouldn't it be better if you continued to flame him here than to threaten him
IRL?


4.

> You started & continued it, now it's up to you to stop it.

Again agreed.

Rich T.:  Although I hope that Fang won't resort to extremes, it is now
absolutely a matter of honour for you to apologize.  Now and then everyone
makes some mistake - that's fine as long as you know when to stop and when to
say `I'm sorry'.


Sorry for the lack of Who content.  We are all wasting our time here.

Bernd