Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2000 21:15:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Sam <sam-AT-bari.iww.org> Subject: Do not forward email petitions Hi there, I hate to lurk on this list only to burst forth with a stern admonition, but don't EVER forward email petitions. They are worse than useless, are specifically banned by many internet service providers (because they are CHAIN LETTERS -- think about it) and usually result in the author getting her email account deleted once the responses start to back up. No one with any political power whatsoever takes them seriously, precisely because they are so easy to "sign" and forward; in fact the same kind of software that net marketers use to spam people can be used to forge email petitions. You may have signed a few this month without knowing it! In particular, don't forward the "help oppressed women in Afghanistan" one; here's a page that explains why. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/afghani.htm The site is maintained by a couple of nice people who make it their hobby to investigate urban legends and Internet hoaxes. Another one that went around recently was the "save the Amazon rainforest" one, apparently written by Fernanda something- or-other in Brazil -- whose account, sure enough, has been deleted, according to people who tried responding. The Net is great for research, long-distance communication and making information available to lots of people. It is not good at all for begging favors from bosses and politicians, if an anarchist would ever stoop to such behavior anyway. ;-) Sam
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