File spoon-archives/marxism-thaxis.archive/marxism-thaxis_1998/marxism-thaxis.9805, message 15


Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 23:47:02 +0100
From: Hugh Rodwell <m-14970-AT-mailbox.swipnet.se>
Subject: Re: M-TH: Purge step 6.7.2


Bill nails the following notice to the door of the Sheriff's office:

>>Pending the transfer of the thaxis list to Utah the following actions
>>have been taken.
>>1) the following addresses have been unsubbed
>>TUNGUSKA-AT-prodigy.net
>>exoteric-AT-email.msn.com
>>frankts-AT-technologist.com

A relieved citizen peers at it, and vents his relief:

>Hoo-bloody-rah!
>
>Also need to add murratp-AT-juno.com if it is subbed.

scratches his head, and thinks:

>One small reservation: I'm a bit concerned that new people won't be able to
>join the discussions until the move to Utah, this seems like a gain for
>Murray.

Perhaps applicants could receive messages but not have their own sent out
before the move?? Then at least they'll be able to follow the discussion,
such as it is.


>However, it's small beer compared to getting rid of him. No doubt
>he will be back under a new mutation. As soon as he is spotted I suggest
>that he is immediately unsubbed.

For reasons of rule of law etc I suggest either:

a) a statement from the moderators urging that no subscriber should respond
to the suspected clone, and challenging the suspected clone to make some
kind of effort at legitimizing itself, and if this produces nothing,
suspension for a week or so,  followed by progressively harsher suspensions
on repetition of damaging behaviour. So far the clones  have shown a
tendency to make themselves scarce when the game is obviously up.

b) a routine by which the suspected  clone is suspended and informed that
suspension will last until clear evidence of identity (or at least
non-identity with Murray) is supplied to the moderators *to their
satisfaction*.



>Counter measures to keep the bozo away
>need to be considered- the problem is this, how do we encourage people who
>want to contribute to these discussions, whilst keeping idiots like Murray
>out?

We can't keep Murrays from getting in, but we can hone our spotting skills,
sharpen our poltical focus and work out methods of easing aside such people
without getting into jackboot censorship.

The problem is that we know Murray is capable of attracting people's
interest on a variety of subjects, and of simulating a style of argument
sufficiently "normal" by list standards to put the onus of proof squarely
on the list and its moderators. I think that the really disastrous
combination is Murray and the Stalinist or neo-Stalinist crowd. Since we'll
never be able to keep that current out, and we shouldn't want to (even if
they're a royal pain in the arse), because we're not a party, but a
discussion list, we'll just have to be vigilant and as I said improve both
our debating skills and our awareness of when conflicts show signs of going
off the rails.

Just like at school, no easy tricks to keep the kids in order!

Cheers,

Hugh




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