Beckhorn Affair

[iago_nyc at yahoo.com]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C907
From: iago_nyc
Subject: Re: Beckhorn Affair
Reply To: [Yahoo! #902] Re: Beckhorn Affair
Date: 4/3/00 8:22 pm  (ET)

Skimmel, you said: <<We have an easy defense against an actual
Mr. Beckhorn. The founder of the club can kick people out of the club and
ban them. There was a point last week when I gave serious consideration
to suggesting we do just that.>>

And, then: <<Generally, the victim did something completely inappropriate
for the club like make a lot of postings for porno sites.>>

I don't believe that the fake MR_BECKHORN gave us any porno site
addresses. He just expressed what we believed to be his views. Many people
hold those views. I think the First Amendment allows them that right.

Hypocritical is the act of desiring free speech (my term, not yours, I
know) so that Potter books wouldn't be "banned" in schools by the actions
of the real Beckhorns -- and then turning around and actually considering
"banning" some Christian Fundamentalist freak from this "discussion group"
simply because he doesn't agree with the majority. That is hypocrisy. Free
speech is allowing just that. And it isn't based on whether the speaker
agrees with you or not.

When you start abridging Free Speech in one arena (like the "Harry Potter
for Grown Ups" Yahoo Club), you lose the moral imperative to argue for
it elsewhere (like in schools and libraries).