XS11 Mail List censorship

On every mail list I've ever been on, whenever the list administrator tries to keep discussions on-track someone responds, "You can't tell me what I can and cannot say. That's censorship and I have a first amendment right to say whatever I want." Then it usually degenerates into calling the list administrator a Nazi or some other name.

Well, the truth of the matter is that with rights come responsibilities. Some speech is called "protected speech" but that doesn't mean anyone can say anything, anywhere, any time. For example:

• you can't yell, "FIRE" in a crowded theater (when there isn't a fire)
• you can't kid around about having a gun or a bomb in an airport or other restricted area
• you can't threaten someone with physical harm or death
• you can't libel or slander someone by making false accusations
• you can't solicit or distribute materials in someone's business
• you can't stand up in the middle of a church service (or similar gathering) and start making a speech

There are probably a lot of other examples as well. "Okay, that's fine," you say. "Talking about guns, politics, religion, other motorcycles, computers, or any other off-topic subject is protected speech. It's my opinion and you can't stop me from talking about whatever I want." Well, it's true that you have the right to say what you want but you don't have the right to say it wherever you want. Imagine someone who has an opinion or belief that is exactly opposite of you. Now imagine that they're in your house trying to tell you why they believe what they believe and why you should believe it too. They also have a right to say what they believe but they certainly don't have a right to say it in your house.

At the risk of repeating myself, someone once told me that joining a mail list is like visiting a friend's home. You can be yourself, but you should never forget that you're a guest and should act accordingly. That means that you should refrain from being rude to the host and other guests. It also means that you shouldn't use your friends' living room as your own "soap-box" lecture hall. You can always do that in your own "house." And so it is with the mail list. Nobody is forcing anyone to either join or stay.

The good news is that there's probably a mail list devoted to discussing whatever topic you can imagine. You can discuss XS11 topics on the XS11 list and other topics on another list. In the event that there isn't a list for your favorite other topic, you can create your own mail list to discuss whatever topic you wish. By becoming the administrator, you set the rules. You can invite whomever you want. I know several people who have done exactly that.

Anyway, there are three points I want to make about censorship.

1. I do not support, endorse or condone censorship.
2. Asking that people stay on-topic and refrain from pursuing off-topic threads publicly, i.e., on the list is not censorship. You can talk about other stuff - privately, or on the phone, or on a different list, or by snail mail.
3. While you have a right to speak, you do not have a right to be heard, i.e., you cannot make someone listen to you either by going to their "house" or making them stay in your "house" until you have "had your say."

"But, gee," you say. "Doesn't that make for a boring list? I find it interesting to learn about people and their interests. Things that aren't strictly on-topic."
No, not really. And you can still get to know people by reading their ride reports and other on-topic emails. (People can get to know you better too when you submit your ride reports too. It's fairly easy to inject information about yourself in the context of a ride report or other on-topic emails. Personalities usually shine through.) Having private email conversations with other members is another excellent way to get to know each other. Who knows, you might just make a new best friend. And by keeping your private conversations off the list, you can help to keep the list focused on the topic of XS11 motorcycles.

Of course, there will always be off-topic messages to the list. There's no reasonable way to prevent that. The answer is that each of us must do our part to make sure that we don't contribute greatly to the amount of off-topic mail on the list.

Have you ever wondered that all those acronyms you see in emails mean?

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