From: mim3-AT-mim.org
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 1998 20:31:52 -0500 (EST)
Subject: M-G: MIM Proposal for "Marxism-Commit"


Proposal for "Marxism-Commit"

This group is to fill a niche for those committed to their ideas of
Marxism or who are interested in such. Explicitly allowed on this group is
what most other INTERNET groups would call "flaming." We are not here for
idle cafe discussion or "brain candy." Only the status quo has an interest
in maintaining a level tone of discussion as if there is no emergency in
the world or its imperfect Marxist movement.

The following rules exist for "Marxism-Commit," which is dedicated to
scientific discussion:

1. All manner of wrangling over Stalin versus Trotsky, Mao's
contributions, the evils of Menshevism etc. will be encouraged, but ad
hominem attacks on individuals will be cause for immediate expulsion. An
idea may be bourgeois and incorrect, but an idea is not incorrect because
the persyn who utters it is bourgeois. Let us Marxists remember that
Engels was bourgeois, and let us back the expulsion of those who cannot
separate arguments from the people who utter them. All those who are not
clear on this point should become so before joining.

2. Related to number 1 above and also backed by force of expulsion, there
will be no persynal references to other discussants' lives unless those
participants ask for such discussion by posting information to that
effect. This list is for discussion of classes, nations, genders and
such--not pre-political persynal conflicts. When Marxism has become a more
advanced movement in the countries of the INTERNET, we will have community
organizations to handle such necessary conflicts. This INTERNET group
cannot handle them.

3. Postings may be anonymous. Again, we do not care who people are, but
whether or not their ideas are correct. The moderator will assist in
posting anonymous articles, so as to make state monitoring more difficult.
This is not a group compiled for the ease of maintaining police Red lists.

4. Posts will be limited to 300,000 characters per week, the equivalent of
30 pages in a newspaper.

5. After six months from formation, no persyn will be allowed to post
without committing for an organization of his or her choice. In the event
that it appears a persyn is faking a commitment, that persyn will be
allowed to find a real one, but will not be allowed to post until having
obtained one. In the event of contradictory information (e.g. on
mischievous faking), the moderator will have the final say. We do not
encourage people to join parties lightly, but there are many organizations
short of parties and many ways of supporting parties without joining them.

6.  After one year, no criticism of anyone or any line calling itself,
himself or herself Marxist will be allowed if such criticism is in
reference to alleged principles alone. All arguments for or against a plan
of action will have to be in reference to historical situations where they
have already worked toward the achievement of principles.

7. Intra-Trotskyist discussion will not be allowed. Pure Trotskyist,
Khruschevite, social-democratic or Menshevik threads should go elsewhere.

8. Knowingly spreading false information will be grounds for expulsion.
There will be a limited version of "fact-checking" not unlike that in
newspapers.

9. These above rules and the moderatorship by a MIM comrade will not
change for at least five years in light of the investment that people make
in joining such a group. Their acceptance commits Spoons to them for the
duration of five years.

Rules that may change

1. If there is abuse of the rules in an open forum, we may switch to a
completely moderated forum in which articles are released maybe only once
weekly after having been read by the moderator.

2. Slurs against races, nations, genders or the like that would offend the
typical Liberal p.c. bureaucrat may or may not be grounds for expulsion.

3. The moderator will make decisions on expulsions of cops, people falsely
representing organizations and pure sectarian wreckers--who will be known
by their attempts to win the battle without scientific argument by
spreading rumors etc.

4. The moderator currently disallows membership in a single-issue
organization as evidence of commitment. In special cases, there may be
exceptions, especially for posts in connection to single-issues.

5. The level of commitment required of posters may be increased over time.
Time, money or blood may be indicators.

6. By-gones might be by-gones. People who make adequate public
self-criticism and who reform their ways may be re-admitted.







     --- from list marxism-general-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---