Perry E. Metzger wrote:
No one has proposed censoring his Usenet postings. What people have proposed is that they deny him the use of the remailers that they set up on their hardware. This is very different. Its the difference between saying "Detweiler can't live" and "Detweiler can't live IN MY LIVING ROOM". Its the difference between saying "I advocate the right of people to discuss any topic they want" and saying "I adovacate the right of people to discuss any topic they want IN MY BEDROOM AT FOUR AM WHILE I'M TRYING TO SLEEP."
I've seen this analogy before and I think it is a poor analogy and should not be used. I don't mean for this to be a flame, just a comment. The problem with this analogy is that you are comparing a publicly available service that is being abused with a private residence that is being abused. It is the difference between "Everybody can use this remailer except Detweiler" and "Nobody is allowed to shout in my bedroom at 4 AM, and that includes Detweiler". Do you see the difference. The analogy is comparing a service with a non-service. Since remailers are services, the analogies used to discuss them should compare remailers with other services. For example: "Detweiler is a disruptive client and I am within my rights to prevent him from using my service." Right now, remailer services are free, and that generates the impression in some that they are public resources that *must* be available to all. If remailers charged even a small amount for their service, it might make it easier to justify denying service to specific individuals. It's not logical, but people are seldom persuaded by logic alone.
I see nothing wrong with remailer operators taking steps to prevent Detweiler from using their equipment against their will. This is not censorship. Mr. Detweiler is still free to use Usenet any way he sees fit. It is simp y the act of saying "Mr. Detweiler can't use MY REMAILER any way he sees fit."
Perry
From this I can see that you agree that remailer operators should be able to refuse specific users, when possible. My point with this
post is to recommend abandoning the "bedroom" analogy. Jim_Miller@suite.com