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To: Janet and Barbara cc: the list Janet wrote, on behalf of herself and Barbara > if any member of this list > attacks, harasses or 'flames' another member of this list > please be assured that the attacker will be summarily booted off the list > and the internet service provider serving the offending list member > will be informed of their offensive behaviour Whilst I'm agree with what you are saying in principle, I am extremely concerned at how this will work in practice. As written you appear to be saying that anyone deemed to be guilty of the offences listed above will be removed from the list, at your sole discretion and no questions asked, on their first offence. If this is the case could you please define just what constitutes an attack in your eyes. Judging by the views you expressed during the recent exchange, BarbM, Brian Collins and myself (for supporting BarbM) would now be ex members of this list. As I saw BarbM's original post as very carefully written to avoid comment on individual personalities and you, Janet, advised her that in your view it did constitute a personal attack, it is clear to me that I am not going to survive long in this brave new world your announcement ushers in. Indeed I may well have already overstepped the mark. More to the point if people stop taking dissenting views because of fear of being booted then we will be unable to discuss much of anything and there won't be much point in being here anyway. Therefore - I hereby formally request that Janet and Barbara reconsider their position in the light of the following comments: There is a world of difference between saying - "Dear so-'n-so please cut back on your postings about bats (cats, dogs, guinea pigs) because they are driving me batty" - and "Dear so-'n-so I think you are an idiot for posting so many messages about bats (etc) so stop doing it." The first is a simple, and in my view legitimate request. The second is definitely attacking and the attacker should be warned that they are jeopardising their membership of the list if they persist. People who make a habit of such postings should then be booted. Summary booting off at the time of a first offence should surely be reserved for attacks of a serious nature." Janet - you and I enjoyed some quite heated exchanges of view when we first met on this list. We expressed some strongly worded views on each others arguments and occasionally both of us (wrongly) strayed across the mark into personal comment The contributions we have subsequently made to this list were shaped in part by those exchanges, yet if Barbara had applied the criteria you are now apparently applying neither of us would be here today. Janet - I know you love this list - but I truly believe that if you don't build some flexibility into your current stand you will change it beyond recognition. I can't believe that is your intent. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dennis Greene 49/dx 37/ onset 32 There's nothing wrong with me that a cure for PD won't fix! [log in to unmask] http://members.networx.net.au/~dennisg/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++