To the list:
I have belatedly realized that I have sent postings to the list which
included disparaging remarks about David Horowitz personally. My apologies
to Mr. Horowitz. This was an oversight that will not be repeated. I do not
intend for this list to become a flame war between members. I reiterate
below the relevant portion of the Sixties-L welcome message.
5.The [rejected] post contained potentially offensive racist or sexist
insults, or contained abusive language, or personal attacks
(flaming) of other listmembers. (We understand that this rule
will itself be controversial. What is and is not offensive is
necessarily subjective. But in a volatile atmosphere, we prefer
to err on the side of caution and to insist that posting
members preserve an atmosphere of civility and reserve their
attacks for others' arguments rather than their characters.)
If the above is not clear, here's my personal feelings on the subject:
I'm very liberal when it comes to tolerating IDEAS, but not
tolerant in accepting personal attacks on particular persons who
express their ideas on the list.
I will still allow all posts in those areas about any ideas. Unlike
much of the world of modern political correctness and speech policing,
I tend to hold a very libertarian view which believes the best way to deal
with false ideas is to give good reasons why they are false, rather than
suppressing their expression. That policy applies, for me, to professions
of ideas and claims of truth.
But, when it comes to the expression of disapproval of persons for
having expressed an idea, that I will not accept and will much more
forcefully enforce that rule, applying it to direct name calling including
the indirect attacking of persons on the list. Attack ideas -- no problem.
Leave list members alone.
I'm sorry if this policy makes some unhappy. I fully believe in the
open exchange of ideas, but believe that exchange needs to be carried
out in an aura of civility and mutual respect even for those professing
ideas we think are totally wrongheaded and even hideous. Just make
a good argument to show the argument is a bad one and leave the person
making the argument out of it. That's what I'm asking. More than
asking, that's what I'm making a condition for posting on this list.
the modr8r
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Jun 12 2000 - 21:57:19 CUT