MSGID: 2:203/2 5fe93432   
   REPLY: 6505.politicf@1:2320/105 244cfeab   
   PID: JamNNTPd/Win32 1   
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   TZUTC: 0100   
   TID: CrashMail II/Win32 0.71   
   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   
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