I have never understood why, in the United States of America, a thing such
as a "killfile" is even necessary.

We are guaranteed Freedom of Choice, which I interpret to mean that I can
choose to read or, more importantly, NOT read anything.

I do not need an artificial intelligence "killfile" to help me make my own
personal decisions. I am capable of doing that myself. I can decide on a
case-to-case basis as to what I choose to read or NOT read.

If I didn't want to read Gunner - and, there are times that I really don't
want to read Gunner - I can simply click past the posts with his name. I
don't need a computer's "killfile" to accomplish that.

If I "killfile" someone, I am no longer practicing my own Constitutional
guarantee of Freedom of Choice, and I have transferred that right to a
machine.

I suspect that people who actively use "killfiles" are actually too weak to
control their own urges, and must rely on the computer software to make
their choices for them, else they backslide and actually read postings from
the person with whom they are currently in disagreement.


AND........

.....even if I *were* to use a "killfile", why would I need/want to
broadcast that particular information to everyone?

I would simply "killfile" that person, and no longer worry about having to
read their stuff.

Why would I need to let everybody know my decision?

Does the "killfile" NOT work if it is not widely broadcast???

Is there some sort of superstition attached????

Do people actually hope that by threatening to NOT read somebody's stuff
that those people will, somehow, effect a change in that person's point(s)
of view?

You might as well threaten to go on a hunger strike.....

Your threat to make a conscious decision to starve yourself has about as
much impact on me as your choice to "killfile" someone.

ZERO!!!

I never understood the rationale behind a hunger strike - or announced
"killfilings.".

If I understand a hunger strike, *you* are going to teach *me* a lesson by
starving *yourself* into serious illness and/or death????

Same with the killfile.

Apparently I am going to be, somehow, spiritually and/or morally poorer
because *you* have decided to NOT read *my* stuff, and you have broadcast
your decision to the rest of the world - which you hope will fall into
lockstep behind you in your crusade.

As a journalist and columnist for over 20 years, I learned that no matter
what you write, someone will disagree....sometimes vehemently.

They can disagree by refusing to read my stuff, or they can disagree by
sending a letter to my editor but, I never lost a job because someone
disagreed with what I wrote......which should give everybody a pretty solid
clue as to the impact of announcing that they are "killfiling" someone
else.

It doesn't even come close to "shunning" as practiced by some religious
faiths.

That's life!

So....go grab yourself a Triple Cheese Whopper with a "Biggie" fries, and
forget about these hunger strike/"killfiling" tactics.

Other than bringing a slight smile to my face, you are really wasting your
time.

Bob Paulin - R.A.C.E.
Racing Chassis Analysis Services

P.S. If you decide to "killfile" me, be my guest, but I don't really need
to know. Let's keep that *your* little secret. 'kay?