Reply to Aaron Klemz

[JKM1993@aol.com]

>Prof Meany - 
>
>I did not intend this post to be a response to your post including the Damus

>information. I do not consider that to be inflammatory or inappropriate. 
>What I am angry about is the usage of this information in other posts to 
>suggest that any discussion about the "incident" (sounds like a code 
>word, Matt - remember Pierre has your hat - that bastard 8-) would be bad 
>for that reason. They are not stopping at providing the information - 
>they are making veiled threats as to the applicability of such 
>information. See the post that I responded to (specifically the paragraph 
>I included) to see an example.
>
>Sorry about the confusion - with these clarifiers I stand by my posted 
>opinion.
>
>Aaron Klemz

I think we agree in many respects, but wanted to add a final thought...

I did read the posting to which you responded and the included paragraph.
That paragraph discussed the issue of personal responsibility for expression
on the net. You might believe that it is a "veiled threat" (and you might
have considerably more information than I do to reach such a conclusion). At
the same time, it is also a description of the current legal environment. The
current environment includes actions for defamation. I don't find this
information threatening. The application of the law might be a threat;
information about it considerably less so. If anything, this information
gives you the opportunity to make a decision about your communicative acts on
this issue without inadvertant liability exposure. If, after reading other
postings on the issue, you choose to engage in communication that is arguably
slanderous, you will still be able to do so. No one can stop your public
communication onthe matter.

You can make a decision about the nature and medium of your expression on
this and other issues. I simply believe that decision-making is improved with
more information, including information about the law and cyberspace. 

I believe that many issues are worth speaking about and fighting for,
 regardless of the state of the law and political culture. I am not convinced
that slander is one of them.

John Meany
The Claremont Colleges

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Follow-Ups:

• Reply to Meany
• From: Klemz Aaron <aak322s@nic.smsu.edu>

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