Somewhere along the line, Mike Powell had a melt down in
the POLITICS echo. I am inviting him to join in the discussion
here, in the CONSPRCY echo, so that all can play without fear
of retribution from a "moderator" gone amuk -

[..]

 >> What should be considered as being swear words? Should those words
 >> be limited to Carlin's original list? Sure, Carlin was poking fun of
 >> the FCC. And television in general. But hey. This is an international
 >> echo. Not limited to an English-speaking audience. And as you know,
 >> there are far more swear words available than Carlin's original list.

 MP> A swear was used.

A telephone number is not a swear word.

 MP> He was asked to stop.

The FCC ruling did not cover telephone numbers.

 MP> Now you are being told to stop.

There is nothing in your silly rules about posting telephone numbers.

 MP> Final warning.

Feel free to update your silly rules to include telephone numbers.

 >> Either speech is free. Or it is not. Can't have it both ways.

 MP> It is not free speech.  Never said it was. From the rules:

Rule Number 1: There are no Rules.
Rule Number 2: See Rule Number 1.

"Fidonet is a worldwide computer network that is used for
communication between bulletin board systems (BBSes)." ~Wikipedia

 MP> # There is no such thing as "free speech" in this echo.  You can speak
your
 MP>  mind within reason but the moderator reserves the right to stop and
 MP>  immediately correct boorish behavior.  We're all adults; let's act like
 MP>  it.

 MP> That was posted in the original response to the message in question.

This is not the Sicilian Mafia.
And Mike Powell is not The Godfather.

 >> Freedom of expression is essential, otherwise there is no freedom
 >> at all for anyone. You are welcome to express yourself any which way
 >> you want. The same as everyone else.

 MP> Not here you aren't.

My grandfather was Sicilian. Just like Don Corleone. Spoke fluent
Sicilian, too. Probably taught Marlon Brando how to act.

Why did my grandfather come to America? To get away from the
dictator who ruled Italy. We all know who that was - the one before
the next dictator who ruled Italy.

 MP> If you want to swear in an echo, swear in your own or any others that are
 MP> dedicated to free speech.

Participants own an echo.
Participants vote with their feet.
Those who don't like it here, leave.
End of story.

Of course, there are also sadists, and masochists.
Those who actually enjoy pain and suffering.
And/or inflicting it on others.

But most folks who like it here, stay.
And most folks who do not like it here, leave.

That is just the way things work.
In the Free World.
Which includes sadists and masochists.

All of the sysops that comprise this "worldwide computer network"
known as Fidonet are volunteers. I am sure each and every one of them
are able to swear about whatever they want to swear about, none of
them needing lessons from Mike Powell or anybody else.

This includes probationary sysops, who may or may not decide to
become full-fledged sysops. After all, participants are not limited
to sysops-only.

Mike Powell does not like people using swear words.
He must really hate Jesus. But that's okay.

Mike Powell doesn't like what someone says, he can use his (N)ext key.
Or at least turn the page in the Holy Book so he doesn't have to listen
to Jesus.

For too long, the structure of Fidonet had been very similar
to the organizational structure of the Sicilian Mafia. This was
due to a small handful of misguided souls who had no idea how
to run a business, much less a worldwide computer network.

This structure was originally set up by a gay man in San Francisco
who thought of himself as being an anarchist. How did he get the
idea? Probably imagined himself as "Don Corleone" after he watched
Marlon Brando play the part in "The Godfather".

Go ahead. Look at the structure of Fidonet, as Tom Jennings
himself had set it up -

NCs - Button Men
RCs - Underbosses
ZCs - Dons/Godfathers
ICs - La Costra Nostra (along w/their Counselors/"Consigliers")

Fidonet began as one global network, not broken into zones. Jennings
later broke it into 6 zones, which when you add it all up, amounts to
the twelve person body known as "Fidonet Central". Kind of like the
Twelve Apostles, with Tom Jannings as Jesus.

And then he left.
Just like Jesus.

Of course, we all know Tom Jennings is not coming back.
And neither is Jesus. La Costra Nostra is no more, having
been replaced by something far greater.

Here in the Free World, we call it the FidoWeb. And like all good
things under the sun, the FidoWeb is here stay.

Benito Mussolini got rid of the Sicilian Mafia in Italy.
American soldiers brought them back in. And now Mike Powell
thinks he is "Il Duce" - even though he does not even qualify
as a "Button Man" for his "Godfather" Nick Andre.

What a joke.

--Lee

-- 
Hands too small! Can't build a wall!

--- MesNews/1.08.05.00-gb