[log in to unmask] writes:
>
> > As a point of information, most of the difficulties I have encountered have
> > been with people from a militant homesexual rights group, who turn every
> > discusssion (would you believe discussions of GRAMMAR, even!) into very
> > unpleasant attacks on society for their treatment of gays.  Anyone else on
> > the list, who tries to stick to the topic, is personally vilified for their
> > "insensitivity" to the plight of oppressed people.
>
> I'm not at all familiar with the current flaming on either list,but I can see
> why people on Ms. Tillyer's list might be upset.  Militant homesexual [sic]
> rights group?  Come on.  Let's leave the homophobic polemics at the door, and
> stick to discussions about what can make us better moderators and owners.
>
> Steve Carr
> Co-moderator and Owner, The Progressive Jewish Mailing List
>
         1) let's face the truth as it is and not pretend that people
who plug allegedly good causes are good people.  If Tillyer is having
trouble with militant homosexuals, that's who he is having trouble
with.  Some lists have trouble with born-again Christians, some with
right-to-lifers, some with feminists, some with Republicans and
some with Marxists.  It doesn't matter who they are, it's how they do
what they are doing.  I don't believe the moderator should be accused
of homophobia.
       2) My way of handling these things is to post a notice to the
list outlining its purposes, and setting minimum rules of decent
behavior.  This serves as fair warning.  I generally say that ALL
expresssions of opinion are welcome, provided that the usual methods
of scholarly discourse prevail -- which is that opinion is labelled as
opinion, and facts are documented in the usual way, with proper
references.  Ad hominem attacks are simplty not permitted.  Anyone
violating these rules then knows he is subject to being bounced, and I
have no hesitation about bouncing them.  So far (thank god) my lists
have run quite well despite some very controversial topics.
     3) Which raises a subject for study by our mass comm people.  How
does one prevent organized pressure groups from taking over any public
forum?  Remember radio hot-line shows and how auickly political
parties learned to get their followers all calling in at once and
occupying all lines?
 
 
 
 
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