The issue is not moderation. It is whether this list has a focus, a central set of ideas, a reason for existence. If we're just going to talk about whatever anyone finds interesting, there is nothing to stop the list from drifting away from its goals. In fact, that is exactly what has happened. Tim May's violent rhetoric has attracted others who believe in violence. Vulis's racist and sexist comments have brought other members who are comfortable expressing negative comments about other races and nationalities. There is little discussion about cryptography any more. Tim May:
This has crypto anarchy relevance in that strong crypto will undermine the ability of the U.S. government to fight foreign wars and engange in foreign entanglements. How this will happen should be obvious.
What difference does it make whether it has crypto anarchy relevance? No one cares about that any more. The only thing that matters today is whether it includes crypto racism, or crypto terrorism, or crypto white supremacy.
Yes, I talk about what interests me. A single essay I _write_ represents my views. I avoid cc:ing the list with forwarded stuff from Yahoo, as some are wont to do.
Thus, I feel no guilt about writing some essay or article on something of interest to me.
Writing off-topic essays isn't the problem. Posting them here is. Why don't you use alt.fan.oj-simpson for your racist rants like you used to?