Hello Nick,

ML>if "they" had actually done something to rein in a certain
ML>person and stop the anti-US ranting, the feed cutting would
ML>never have take place, period.

But was it okay for Roy Witt to repeatedly antagonise German Sysops?

Remember, I have access to a backlog of mail going back now decades...
I see it from both sides but its a little hard for me to defend "free
speech" when crossing into potentially illegal territory with all the
Hitler stuff.

I'm not going to respond to your immature swearing/whining you have
sent here, calling me stupid etc... this has happened more than once
over the years. Insult me one more time and I will not process
anything you drop on my desk.

Nick

The issue is not Roy Witt - or any other particular individual.

We all know what censorship is, and nobody needs a lecture on that
subject.  There is only one rule that is needed in Fidonet, and every
responsible sysop knows and understands that rule quite well -

NO ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.

This rule is so basic it does not even need to be stated.
Those of us who are not sysops understand it, and adhere to
it, without sysops reminding us.

Germany does have a rule about mentioning Nazis and Naziism.
I do not know of any sysops or fidonet participants who have
been arrested and/or jailed for having broken that rule.
But if there have been, I would imagine it would apply only
to those who are Germans living in Germany.

Bob Bashe can fill you in more on this subject, being an
American ex-pat who is now a German citizen living in Germany.

Anyhow, please bear with me.

Roy Witt was born of the flame echoes.  That is why he behaved
in the way he did in various Fidonet echoes.  I did not mind his
antics, and found his brand of humor quite entertaining at times.
Others took great offencse at what he wrote, and how he acted.

Roy Witt can best be summed up as the Don Rickles of Fidonet.
Nobody can replace him.  And I doubt anybody can even hope to
repeat what he did.  A legend in his own time, I tell you.
A true legend.

Michiel van der Vlist tried to control Roy's behavior.  He failed
miserably.  Many other sysops, in every zone, also tried to control
Roy's behavior.  They also failed miserably.  Even Roy's wife tried
to control his behavior.  That worked, but only for a few minutes,
as he returned to his keyboard after finding her remains on the
kitchen floor.

That is what happens when one is truly addicted to Fidonet.

But Roy did not stop there.  He kept going.  Even convinced
everybody (or almost everybody) in Fidonet that he had a living
girlfriend named Nancy.  It was only after Roy's untimely demise
that sysops found out the truth - Roy's girlfriend was only a
figment of somebody's wild and overactive imagination.

To make a long story short, Janis Kracht refused to believe
Roy Witt was really gone.  So she wrote a message to her fellow
sysops that "he'll be back."

We are anticipating his return any day now.  So please.  Stay tuned.
He is coming.  On a day.  Yoy least expect.

--Lee

-- 
It Ain't Payday If It Ain't Nuts In Your Mouth

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