From: Zeynep Tufekcioglu <zeynept-AT-turk.net>
Subject: M-I: List Conduct, Please Read
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 18:42:45 +0200


Comrades,

The moderators are working on reformulating some of the list rules. No
surprises, we just want to make sure we formulate the rules in a more clear
and consistent manner, in order to avoid any future misunderstandings.

If this list is to survive as an open forum, as opposed to a closed one, all
members must make active efforts to control their tempers at times. Also to
recognise dead horses. Those on M1 will remember that I kept coming up with
Turkish sayings to articulate my feelings. Now, in one Turkish joke, our
villager, say Mehmet, goes to the military to perform his obligatory
military service. One day, his commander receives the news that Mehmet's old
and ailing mother has finally died. Being a sensitive man, (this is a joke,
remember) the commander ponders how to tell Mehmet. He goes to him and tells
him that his mother is not talking anymore. Mehmet is very sad. The
commander tells him she also can't see. And, by the way, can't move. She
isn't eating anything either. Come to think of it, she isn't breathing.
Mehmet yells, "you mean she's dead". Commander, apparently shocked, replies
"I didn't say that, I didn't say that".

Well, that's the problem with a lot of the threads. Both sides keep on
repeating the issues long after everyone else has stopped reading the
thread. I don't want to suggest that anyone should drop or ignore their
long-held political convictions. Just recognise it when all that is said has
been said. Twice or there times. At least.

Subscribers will remember that the list has a rule against sectarian and
excessive repetitions. The moderators have never used it, and they hope they
don't have to. That does not mean that they will not ever use the rule. Try
to trust us when we tell any of you in private that the thread has long
died. Try to trust the fact that the moderators lean in favour of an open
list and think seven times before deciding a thread has overlived its
usefullness. If the subscribers are a bit sensible about threads that have
long died down, we'll have much more productive discussions in the list.

Also, I urge the use of the delete key. There is no reason anyone should
read the posts of someone, if they don't want to. This list has many
subscribers from different currents and not all subjects may interest, or
please all. Accept the "annoying" posts as the price of free-speech. Answer,
make your point, and move on.

Zeynep
-moderator-



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