[PEN-L:6798] censorship

[Michael Perelman <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I do not consider the question about Shawgi to be censorship.  I
personally do not find his postings objectionable.  On subjects that do
not interest me I can easily delete them.

Some people do pay by the message.  Others pay for the time that they
spend on the net.

My interest here is not in silencing Shawgi.  If he were someone who was
just trying to tweak us, I would think that he should use his time
better.

Many people did write me on and off pen-l about being offended by
Shawgi.  Very few people expressed a problem with his political stance,
except in the case of Israel and the charge of being a Stalinist.

I did not like and still do not like the way people attacked him in the
past.  I expressed my concern about that behavior.

Both Bill and Susan say that they found his posting, at least
occassionally, useful.

I suspect, and I had mentioned this to Shawgi, that his format might be
better suited to a Usenet group.

Now to the question of censorship.  Here some of us have different
philosophies.  I regard pen-l as a private space for people to do
progressive politics.  By that standard, Shawgi belongs.  I also try to
do what I can to make it a productive and enjoyable space.  I would not
want us to get into the diatribes of the marxism list.  Nor would I like
to see tedious debates with conservatives rehashing old ideas that we
have all heard.  Finally, I hope, as we all do, that we have seen the
end of the person hawking stuff on pen-l.

In recent days, more and more of our time was taken up by Shawgi.  In
that sense, his presence was counterproductive.  His only other offense
might be the time and money taken up by his posting for those that pay.

Shawgi told me that he would leave if I insisted, but wanted me to
reconsider.  I do not want to get us tied up in endless debates about
who and who should not be here and whom we will and will not tolerate.
I am going to wait for three days to respond to Shawgi.

One final note: PLEASE, whether you do or do not appreciate his
contributions to pen-l, do not taunt him -- or anyone else.


--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 916-898-5321
E-Mail michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx