[PLUG] The list needs moderation...

[Stafford A. Rau]

* Michael C. Robinson <michael at robinson-west.com> [031129 17:34]:
>  
> Sorry, I don't buy the bit that restrictions are the ultimate enemy to
> having a successfull community.  Communism was implemented as a
> totalitarian system in Russia: the state took care of you, distributed
> the wealth in a non democratic fashion, owned all the property, and
> totally banned religion.  Isn't Stalin Saddham's hero?  Anarachy doesn't
> encourage people to come together which is divisive to groups, clubs,
> societies...  I strongly question the opinion some seem to be trying
> to push that Godlessness is the way to go and that anything goes because
> this is the Internet.  If the Internet is a monster, this monster ought
> to be tamed.  

Interesting line of reasoning above. You start with Communism - which
was never implemented in Russia by the Soviet leaders' own admission.
Officially the Soviet Union was a socialist society with a goal of
becoming a true communist nation - in reality, arguments could be made
that it ranged from a dictatorship to an oligarchy.

Religion totally banned? I seem to recall that the Russian Orthodox
Church openly collaborated with the Soviet government in order to secure
its position as the only Soviet state recognized and supported religion.

Yes, by many accounts Saddam Hussein admired and tried to pattern his
rule after Joseph Stalin (and not after Osama bin Laden or the Taliban).
So? Stalin was a monster, and Hussein was a petty tyrant. Those facts
(or perhaps opinions) don't have anything to do with your argument.

And then you bring up Anarchy, and then Godlessness? Does any of this
have anything remotely to do with the question of whether the PLUG
mailing list should be moderated?

Tell us, Michael, do you think the question of list moderation should be
decided by some sort of democratic process? Would you be satisfied if
this was decided one way or the other by the wishes of majority of those
subscribed to this list, or should what is best for everyone be decided
by some smaller group, or perhaps an individual?

--Stafford