Re: Tolerance (fwd)

[Sandy Sandfort <sandfort@crl.com>]

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                          SANDY SANDFORT
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C'punks,

On Fri, 2 Aug 1996, Jim Choate wrote:

> If the person joining the public list is warned that the list
> owner reserves that right [to kick people off] I would agree.
> It would require such a warning to be issued at the time the
> person received their notification of successful joining. If
> that warning is not present and the list is advertised as
> PUBLIC then NO, not even the list operator can ethicaly refuse
> membership to anyone for any reason other than criminal
> activity by a member. Otherwise it isn't public.

Here I have to respectfully disagree, totally, with Jim.  One
does not have to "reserve" one's rights.  They are inherent and
my be exercised pretty much at will (I say "pretty much" because
there are situations where "implied contract" applies).

A restaurant or bookstore is a public place in that it is open
to the public.  Nevertheless, without first "reserving the right"
to do so, the owners may tell you to leave if they don't like 
the way you sound, look or smell.  Criminal activity is not
required legally nor ethically.  Your ejection may, in fact, be
totally arbitrary.  I don't see a privately maintained, "public"
list as being philosophically any different.


 S a n d y

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