From: Zeynep Tufekcioglu <zeynept-AT-turk.net>
Subject: M-I: A reminder from Moderators
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 22:15:13 +0200


Dear List Members,

The moderators have no preconceived ideas about who should and should not be
allowed on the list, regardless of any opinion that may be attributed to them.

We find such public discussion, as has been going on recently, to be quite
pointless and counter-productive for the stated purpose of the list.

The list is in its infancy. We believe that the list is hosting high-level
discussions. We are determined to keep it so, and we believe that all
subscribers share our determination, stated clearly in our "statement of
purpose".

The rules are being tested and modified as needs arise. As moderators, we
are trying to establish some precedents for applying the rules. We would
like to remind all that the rules apply equally for everyone.

We request all public discussion regarding the "suitability" of subscribers
for the list be dropped. Any further concerns should be directed to the
moderators.

On behalf of the moderators,
Zeynep Tufekcioglu



--- Statement of Purpose ---

Marxism-International is a moderated list intended to facilitate general 
discussion of Marxism, with an eye toward enabling the participation of 
people from all around the world, and toward fostering and developing 
activism. It is an open, nonsectarian list, inviting participation from 
every kind of Marxist and revolutionary thought.

M-I is a list for serious discussion, not the trivial name-calling and 
ego-waving so commonly seen on the Internet. It is, in fact, an attempt 
to see if the Internet can be a useful tool for the left, beyond the 
mere dissemination of information. People with real political problems 
to address are welcome -- those who sit in front of a computer because 
no one in real life will listen to them may as well stay away.

The moderators are committed to political freedom, and no attempt at 
censorship based on opinions or intellectual content will be made. 
However, a complete lack of regulation leads to effective lack of 
freedom, as nonsense proliferates and people with work to do become less 
and less willing to sift through all the chaff for the occasional kernel 
of wheat. This is especially true for people in "third world" countries, 
where links are slow and time spent downloading is expensive. Since this 
is the case, the list will adhere to the following set of rules:

1.  No more than three posts a day.  A single post may be in response to
more than one thread, within reason; however, this should not be done
merely to circumvent the "three post a day" rule.  Flexibility will be
shown when someone has only a question, asking for clarification.

2. Active effort to keep repetititions to a minimum. The archives of the 
list will be publicly available. All participants are expected to put 
forth serious effort to contribute to and encourage relevant discussion.  

3. No sexist/racist/etc. remarks.

4. No accusations of the type that a list member is a cop. Anyone who 
thinks s/he has a case, should privately mail the moderators producing 
the evidence.

Rule enforcement:
Anyone deemed to be breaching the rules (according to the majority of 
the moderators) will be warned twice privately. The third time, the 
first two warnings will be made public along with the the third warning. 
Fourth time - suspension from the list until the suspended person agrees 
to adhere to the rules, in any case at least two weeks. Two suspensions, 
and the expulsion is permanent.

These rules are strictly provisional, and will be changed as necessary. 
The idea is to develop a political culture and consciousness on the list 
that enables and actually encourages productive work; once such a 
culture is developed, the rules may well be relaxed. Be warned: no 
attempts to be disruptive in a "legitimate" way by finessing the rules 
will be tolerated -- the decision of the moderators is final.

We understand that some participants are partisans of particular 
interpretations of marxism. Intelligent defense of these interpretations 
are welcome. Excessive recitations of sectarian dogma will be 
discouraged.

--
The archives of this list are available via:

http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/~spoons/marxism/

--
The moderators of this list are:

Zeynep Tufekcioglu <zeynept-AT-turk.net>
Jon Flanders <72763.2240-AT-CompuServe.COM> and
Louis R Godena <louisgodena-AT-ids.net>,

Please address any questions to them.






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