On Wed, 20 Jun 2001, a & g wrote:

>     What's the point in having a list that's open to all kinds of people if
> we don't want all kinds of responses?

And this is the crux of something I've been mulling over for awhile.  I
*don't* want such a list.  Such a list doesn't do anything good for the
reputation of the Phoenyx.  It's even endangering us personally.  (As has
been pointed out and you've not noticed... this isn't a matter of
lawsuits, it's a matter of criminal violations.  Nobody has to sue, they
only have to make allegations of hate crimes and a law enforcement agency
is obligated to investigate.  And the Phoenyx gets caught in the
crossfire.)

Jason didn't make his query to a lawyer as an attack, he made it to see if
his friends were in danger of legal liability or getting caught in the
side-effect of criminal investigation.

I don't need this kind of thing on a server I own.

As for free speech... it's my server.  I control the vertical, I control
the horizontal.  If I can't control Gmast and it becomes a liability,
threatens my service's reputation or ability to function, my only choice
is to cut it loose.  If you want your "free speech" you can take it
elsewhere... the law doesn't give you the right to use my publication
vehicle for your speech.  Free speech is about your right to say your
piece at your own expense... I am in no way obligated to provide you with
a forum to speak in.  You can't force someone else to publish your
opinion, you have to publish it yourself.

--
Carl D Cravens (raven@phoenyx.net)                GMAST List Owner
    [   GMAST, GM Discussion -- http://www.phoenyx.net/gmast/   ]
I came. I saw. I stole your tagline.


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