-=> As Gregory Baker was in thoughtful discussion with Deforest Sparks <=-
Please refresh my memory as to what you are referring to in your
message ,I do not remember telling anybody that it is a restriction
of free speech to be told that I am off topic.And I also do not
remember discussing programming	with anybody , or telling them that
a broadcast should be stopped or banned.
 GB> As a shortwave listener for over 34 years, may I make some
 GB> suggestions? 
 GB> There has always been controversial programming on shortwave. 
 GB> How you define controversial depends on where you live, what religion
 GB> you are, and who you dislike
 GB> Because of this, SWL hobbyists usually restrict discussion 
 GB> to the technical side of the hobby.  It is regarded as impolite to say
 GB> "this broadcast should be stopped," even if the programming is
 GB> offensive.   The offensive programming often comes from a rare station
 GB> you've been wanting to hear for years! It's not a restriction
 GB> of free speech to ask anyone to get  back on topic.  The contents of
 GB> programming have been off-topic ever since such echoes were set up. 
 GB> Acceptable topics can be:
 GB> Frequencies, times, power, technical problems with programming
 GB> or with transmitters
 GB> Receivers, antennas, problems with them;
 GB> Program schedules, radio personalities;
 GB> 
 GB> Unacceptable topics can be:
 GB> 
 GB> Political offensiveness of programming
 GB> Suggesting programs can be banned:  usually a technical 
 GB> impossibility - just ask any clandestine transmitter today, or, if you
 GB> want, check the history of such broadcasters as Radio Free Europe
 GB> The First Amendment as whitewash:  the law states this is  a public
 GB> forum, but even public fora have restrictions on them according to the
 GB> courts ("fire" in a crowded theater, as Justice Holmes noted) 
 GB> Shortwave radio programmers rarely go for popularity.  Let 
 GB> it go at that.
 GB> 
 GB> Gregory Baker
 GB> WB3EBO
 GB> nyekulturniy@hotmail.com
 GB> Editor, SPY STUFF Newsletter - an open-source journal of political and
 GB> military intelligence.  
 GB> -!- Opus-CBCS 1.73a
 GB>  ! Origin: Silver Bullet - Silver Spring, Md - 301-622-2247
 GB> (1:109/417.0)
        /\    /\__/\    /\
      ///\\\__( oo )__///\\\             -=[ Dracula ]=-         
    /////\\\\\(    )/////\\\\\
  ////\\\///\\\|\/|///\\\///\\\\      DeForest Ray Sparks
 //     \/   \\M\/M//   \/     \\     DRaySparks@juno.com
 
... Been through hell, eh? Great! What did you bring me?
--- FMail 1.02
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