[Vision2020] free flowing sewage

[Van Deventer, Jack]

Bill London says, "I am truly sorry that your name and reputation is being attacked in this reprehensible manner" but (paraphrasing) in the interests of openness I'm going allow the libel to continue.  Ain't free speech grand?

Bill, what's going on?  Aren't you one of the steering committee members of this list?  Are you the spokesman?  Who are the others?  No one seems to be able or willing to answer these questions.  

Why does any member of our community have to endure sewage like this?  Is it because his name is Douglas Wilson?  Or, are all the members potential targets because no one on the steering committee has the courage to enforce any standards of decency? 

Jack
__________________________________
Jack Van Deventer
jack@wsu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill London [mailto:london@moscow.com] 
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 4:29 PM
To: Douglas; Vision2020
Subject: [Vision2020] the rantings

Open letter to Doug Wilson:

I want to apologize for the rantings you have endured as postings to the
Vision 2020 list.  I am truly sorry that your name and reputation is
being attacked in this reprehensible manner.

A number of V2020 members have suggested that the author of those
messages be dropped from the V2020 list.  While I certainly understand
why they want to eliminate those postings, I disagree with that tactic.

I am writing you to explain why, in hopes that you will agree that
allowing such postings is not evidence of agreement or support by Vision
2020 or any of the list's subscribers.  And I want to make it clear that
I totally reject the vile and malicious nature of those messages.  I
just feel that the values of open discussion, free speech and an
unmoderated list are paramount.

Vision 2020 is ten years old.  Throughout that decade, at least four or
five times, the list was bombarded with some variety of
potentially-libelous postings by some disgruntled person who saw the
list as an opportunity to rant.  In each case, the V2020
subscriber/members were polled with the question: should this list stop
being an open vehicle for free speech and become a moderated
discussion?  Every time the answer has been "no--let's just use our
delete keys."

Plenty of related issues were discussed each time.  Most dealt with the
question of who would become the moderator, and what would be the
criteria for elimination of a posting or a poster.  Nobody wanted that
responsibility.

And I think legally, there is plenty of reason for everyone to reject
that responsibility.  My understanding is that any public communication
system (Daily News, ISP list manager, etc) that manages the information
in any way (allows some and not others, etc) can be held responsible for
libelous material.  However, if that system does not manage the
information in any way (much like the soap box in Hyde Park), then there
is no legal responsibility for the libelous material.
I don't think that is just a legalese distinction.  I think it is the
essence of our right of free speech.

I guess I just think that the V2020 subscribers are able to recognize
the source of the rantings and reject them.  While those posted
accusations are certainly uncomfortable for you, I do not think anyone
believes the source of those accusations.

BL

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