The second part of my reply. On Sat, 8 Apr 1995, Aldo-Pier Solari wrote: > > ] From: Winship <[log in to unmask]> > ] Anyone interested in setting up a "listowner's defense trust" for such > ] situations? > > A brilliant idea. I believe there should be such a trust to > back up listowners+sysops+sites. In the above described case, I > would say I got the feeling the listowner [whom I exchanged ideas > with] may have been ruined (academically, economically) by the > *jerks* who hired the lawyers. Also, some *jerks* would do anything > to harm a listowner/sysop/institution/ when kicked off a > conference/site. Most jerks claim "the constitutional right to free I don't know that it's brilliant, just an idea, like others I've thown out to the list. It might be a good one, though. As I brought it up, I'll play devil's advocate (anyone else feel free to chime in, the devil needs the support of his demons). For a true trust fund it would need to be formally established, according to the laws of the state/country wherein it resides. Presumably, the trust manager would invest unused funds to earn money and would disperse what was available to those in need. That would mean formal agreement as to "proper" listowner behavior, possibly a union, with dues (proceeds going to the trust fund), rules on dispersal of funds, etc. Last time I checked (couple of years ago) there were about 150 subscribers to LSTOWN-L. If you take that as "core" subscribers, and each puts in $100 a year, you're talking a measley $15,000. Maybe enough for a retainer for a top attorney, but not for all the following expenses, especially if we're talking both civil and criminal cases from one complaint. $500,000 per case, maybe? Depends on how sharp the complainant/prosecuter is. Remember, we might be getting into not only free speech but also, possibly, copyright law, plus maybe local laws on the use of state supported resources, etc., etc. If *all* LISTSERV listowners were willing to join in this it might be possible. But there are many who don't subscribe to LSTOWN-L and who probably couldn't care less (not trying to denigrate anyone, I know there are lots of listowners with small, strictly local lists, and they just haven't the concerns of listowners of larger, multinational lists). I trust you get the gist of this. For anything of this sort formal organization is needed (unless you're fool enough to just send me your money, which I assume none of you are) and the support of *all* listowners, not only LISTSERV listowners either. Without those, I can't see it working, much as I wish there were something of the sort. Douglas Douglas Winship Hays County, Texas [log in to unmask] Secondary AUTOCAT Listowner MEDLAB-L