On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 16:28:30 -0600, "Bob Paulin"
wrote:

Ernie Leimkuhler wrote in article
...
In article 01c402bb$683bb5a0$ea9bc3d8@race, Bob Paulin
wrote:

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

snip
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?



Actually Bob you missed my point entirely.
I come to this newsgroup to read and respond to questions about
METALWORKING.
Not politics or pop-culture.
if I don't use filters to reduce the shear quantity of posts I see,
this group becomes unmanageable.

Killfile filters are just one.
I also filter for certain words used by spammers, political words, and
just threads I have no interest in, ever.
That is my right.


Nobody ever questioned your rights, but I think *you* are missing *my*
point entirely....

I made a point of telling people that I was killfiling Gunner, because
I feel he is abusing the inherent openness of this forum to constantly
spout of on political topics.
My statement was also within my rights, check under freedom of speech.


Do you really believe ANYBODY cares if or why your are killfiling Gunner?

For that matter, why should anybody care if and/or why you DO or DO NOT
killfile anybody?

THAT is my point.

If you don't want to see his - or anybody else's - stuff, by all means
exercise whatever freedoms you choose and ignore and/or killfile him.....

......but what is the point of telling the whole group that you have
killfiled someone - other than to hope that you can convince others of
Gunner's alleged sins/faux-pas who will then jump on your political
bandwagon, and join in the "shunning"?

Trying to get others to boycott/shun someone because of their political
beliefs takes on an almost-terroristic quality.

Al-Quaida is trying - in its own somewhat more forceful expressions of
belief - to get others to keep the United States and its Allies from
participating in that big group known as the World.

Not liking something and making changes so you don't have to deal with it
is something that is certainly well within your rights, but it becomes
political when you decide to try and convince other people that they should
adopt your stance on the person/issue and join your boycott.

Your statement is well within your rights, but it *is* as political as any
other attempt to create a boycott.

Announcing that you are killfiling someone, and the reasons why you are, is
as political as some of the things that Gunner posts, and for which he is
taking some heat.

At least that is *my* opinion.


I wouldn't even mind so much if his posts made sense, but he routinely
picks the most idiotic sources for his posts, and rarely does any
research to verify if it has any merit in the first place.


That is, of course, *your* opinion, to which, I again agree, you are
entitled....but you apparently, hope to convince others to join you in
support of your choice to boycott/shun Gunner.

Some of us - I may or may not be included in this group - enjoy a lot of
Gunner's stuff.

Although I see a lot people exercising their right to disagree with Gunner,
I really don't see that many honest-to-God complaints - other than the
occasional announced killfiling.

So, he is either being read and enjoyed or debated - maybe even secretly
laughed at for his political stance....

....or he is being ignored/killfiled by a number of people who do not feel
such a compelling need to announce their actions and reasons.


Sorry guys but I grew up at Purdue University, The concept of verifying
your sources researching your ideas got embedded in my head at a young
age.
I may be elitist but I don't feel everybody is entitled to their
opinion.
I believe everybody is entitled to their INFORMED opinion.
If you have something intelligent to say I may just listen.
If not, then GO AWAY.

He feels that it is his right to post whatever he likes.
Well actually no.

Aw, Geez!!!

What happened to that "Freedom of Speech" flag that you were so vigorously
waving just above? ( "My statement was also within my rights, check under
freedom of speech." ) It seems to have tattered rather quickly.

Isn't Gunner - or anybody else who posts here - entitled to that same
right?

Didn't *you* just post what *you* wanted to post?

Is Freedom of Speech only "free" when certain other parties or the majority
agree?

Or does it need to be "informed" in order to qualify under "free speech"?

And who decides if it is "informed"....you? I certainly do not want that
job.

Does a person *not* have the right to say "...black is white" no matter how
dumb and foolish it may sound to other, "more informed" people?

Can someone exercise this freedom to write something that is totally
opposed to your belief system - or does the Constitution draw the line at
things with which Ernie doesn't agree?

Who was the politician in American history who stated that he was opposed
to what was being said, but that he would defend to his death the person's
right to say it?


This group was established to discuss METALWORKING......


.....Which, ironically, this particular post, in which you are obviously
participating, is *not* discussing.


By not abiding by that he is violating a "gentlemen's agreement" to act
civilized and play by the rules.

How come I was never informed about any tacit agreement to which I would be
subjecting myself by the mere act of participating before I was allowed to
post here?

Doesn't THAT violate some sort of "right to know" to which I am entitled?

Usenet has no police force.

No, it doesn't!.....unless, of course, you count the self-appointed ones...

The only control placed on us is by ourselves.
If you enjoy anarchy then have fun and enjoy.
I like a little order in my otherwise chaotic life.

I like the idea that there is at least one place where people can rise
to a more civilized level of behavior.


I belong to several moderated forums where there is high degree of civility
and politeness, but I haven't found anything remotely similar in the Wild
West, in-your-face atmosphere of the usenet.

I have never resorted to name-calling or profane language on the usenet -
or in my daily life, for that matter.

I believe I can get my point across in a civil manner, but that sometimes
brings out an inordinate amount of incivility from those who cannot
participate in a debate of ideas. (Can anybody remember the guy whose name
started with "C" and was followed by a three-letter word for donkey which
rhymed with "pass"?)

Boycott, shun, ignore and/or killfile Gunner if you so wish, but I really
don't need to know if you do, and I really don't care why......

You make your own decision based on your own reasons.

I'll make up my own mind on Gunner - and others - based on my own reasons,
with which, I promise, you will not be burdened.


Bob Paulin - R.A.C.E.
Race Car Chassis Setup and Dial-in Services

Another excellent post!!
Sue