Duff Axsom
Executive Director
Computer Professionals for
Social Responsibility
P.O. Box 717
Palo Alto, CA 94302
Phone: (650) 322-3778
Fax: (650) 322-4748
Email: cpsr@cpsr.org
Duff Axsom <duff@cpsr.org>
Susan Envoy <evoy@cpsr.org>
Al Whaley <al@itn.net>
Dear Mr. Director,
This episode has now escalated beyond the category of "dispute between
moderator and service provider" and it is definitey not a question of
"misunderstanding". CPSR is practicing censorhip, highandedness, and
putlic decipt and it should be ashamed of itself.
You closed down the cyberjournal list (which had over 1,000 HIGHLY
appreciative subscribers) without notifying me or consulting me. There
were NEVER any complaints or concerns expressed by ANYONE from CPSR about
the list. In fact Susan Envoy of CPSR sent me this message only last week
~-==============================================-~
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 1998 12:45:26 -0800 (PST)
From: Susan Evoy <sevoy@snyside.sunnyside.com>
To: richard@cyberjournal.org
Subject: Re: cyberjournal
message received. Glad to know the list is alive and well. I'll pass
your message along to others ...
Susan
~-==============================================-~
You simply closed it down without notice and then you began a week-long
process internal to CPSR, discussing the fate of cyberjournal -- never once
consulting or even notifying me.
You then told me it had been closed down because one of my postings --
which Al Whaley (sysop) simply interecepted (and deleted) from the posting
queue -- had discussed another server I use, and he -- without asking me --
assumed I intended to move the list. I did NOT have any such intention,
and my posting did not imply I did.
I am sorry, Duff, but your story does not make sense; I DO NOT believe you;
I think you are lying through your teeth, and I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW why you
closed down the list!
If the issue was me wanting to move the list, then obviously you or Al
would have sent me a message saying "do you want to move the list? what
shall we do with the old one?" or something to that effect.
By closing it down without notice, waiting a week to tell me, and then
giving an obviously dubious reason, it is very clear that you must have
some hidden reason for this action.
You make the following statement:
Our volunteer staff on the website had legitimate concerns
about the activity on the list. I understand these concerns
were stated to you in a series of emails, prior to my being
informed on Monday.
The truth is, Duff, that I did not receive a series of messages nor even
one message expressing concern. Perhaps there were a series of
CPSR-internal messages, perhaps regarding the political content of
cyberjournal. Perhaps you thought I was copied on some of those -- I
wasn't.
Perhaps it is the _content_ of cyberjournal that is bothering someone
there. It shouldn't - everything we talk about on cyberjournal is (was!)
completely responsible, democratic, progressive, legal, and according to
the highest principles our country stands for. If you have any reason to
doubt this, the _least_ you could is tell me what your complaint is.
I repeat that no one, not even as of now, from CPSR has expressed ANY
concern to me about list activity. NO ONE. NOT ONCE.
This has been a shameful and high-handed action by CPSR and by you
personally. I urgently request that you reconsider this shut-down and I
PLEAD with you to at least tell me what the motivation is, I can only
guess.
I shall not await your reply to begin actions to bring you and CPSR to
account for this obscene violation of everything CPSR stands for.
"Responsible" indeed!
The 1,000 members of cyberjournal SHALL gather again, despite your
SUPPRESSION of our Freedom of Speech & Assembly, and they SHALL let you
know what they think. I would thank you to send me the latest subscription
list -- mine is a couple weeks out of date.
SHAME ON YOU. SHAME ON CPSR.
Extremely Sincerely Yours,
Richard K. Moore
Wexford, Ireland; USA citizen
Chair: Citizens for a Democratic Renaissance
Editor: cyberjournal@cpsr.org
Producer: "Globalization and the Revolutionary Imperative"
mailto:cadre@cyberjournal.org
http://cyberjournal.org
---BTW> to people receiving this list. If you have responsible comments you wish to send, phone, or fax to CPSR I urgently request that you DO SO and copy me.
DO NOT SPAM CPSR. DO NOT INCLUDE A COPY OF THIS MESSAGE IN YOUR REPLY, IT IS TOO BULKY. RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF YOUR OPPONENT. RESPONSIBLE REPLIES TO THEM DEPITE THEIR SHAME.
I would greatly appreciate widespread forwards and public media (newspapers etc.) distribution of this message. Those of you in Palo Alto, and those who are CPSR members, I especially hope will take appropriate and strong action.
Please send me messages suggesting strategies and tactics to save CPSR from these high-handed anti-democratic elitist tyrants.
Thanks for your attention.
---
(message of reference) ~-===================================================================-~ Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 16:46:30 -0800 To: rkmoore@iol.ie From: Duff Axsom <duff@cpsr.org> Subject: CyberJournal List transfer Jim Davis <jdav@mcs.com>, Andy Oram <andyo@ora.com>, Yves Leclerc <VIANET@MPACT.CA>, Heiko Recktenwald <UZS106@IBM.RHRZ.UNI-BONN.DE>, Raleigh Myers <RAMYERS@IGC.APC.ORG>, Valis Earth <VALIS@EXECPC.COM>, Dave Guys <76032.3274@compuserve.com>, jslakov@TartanNET.ns.ca (Jan Slakov), Susan LaBarre <susala@mindspring.com>, Carolyn Ballard <cballard@cetlink.net>, David Russo <rupert@cif.rochester.edu>, Rich Walker <rw@shadow.org.uk>, Carol Liu <radred@ix.netcom.com>, Chris Thorman <ct@ignitiondesign.com>, gbreitbard@compuserve.com, Jessica <jmartin@hrice.com>, Al Whaley <al@bogons.itn.net>, aki@cpsr.org, ANamioka@ActiveVoice.com, duff@cpsr.org
Richard:
I am very sorry that my actions have caused you, personally, such great distress and inconvenienced any of the members of the CyberJournal List.
Our volunteer staff on the website had legitimate concerns about the activity on the list. I understand these concerns were stated to you in a series of emails, prior to my being informed on Monday. I made the decision to continue to restrict use of the list until I could consult with the Board of Directors and with you. I regret that our communications were so flawed that you felt my request for information was not honest and was, instead, a plot against you and the CyberJournal List. This was simply miscommunication and there was no wish to restrict your "cyber-rights". I regret that you perceive it in this way.
As you are aware, CPSR provided a "home" for CyberJournal as a service to you and the members of the list for approximately three years. I understand that you have now moved the list to another server and that it is a moot point about CPSR's role in this. It is clearly understood that you are the moderator and "owner" of this list. I will consult the Board of Directors of CPSR about how we can best close this unfortunate chapter on our part.
On behalf of the Board and volunteers of CPSR, I certainly wish you well as you continue your exceptional work with the CyberJournal List.
Sincerely,
Duff Axsom Executive Director Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility ~-===================================================================-~