In a message dated 2/23/01 4:17:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, nydersdyner@yahoo.co.uk writes:

I (Annie) said: << > > frankly, you don't have a

...

right to. If you want to have *private* conversations "over in the corner", then why are you posting them on a huge mailing list?

and Fiona replied: << <drily> By the same token, then, one might ask why people post lecherous remarks about Avon... >>

Um, sorry, I don't understand what you're getting at? The people posting lecherous remarks about Avon haven't expressed the desire to be allowed to have "private conversations over in the corner." At least not while I've been here in the past or now. Perhaps it is a series of postings I missed. The issue was whether or not people have a right to comment on and join a public conversation. If the lecherous remark is posted to the list at large, then I, as a list member, assume that I have a right to reply in any way I see fit (serious or humorous or lecherous or whatever) as long as I follow the basic rules of Calle's list. The same holds true for a serious conversation. A select few hereabouts seem to find that point of view annoying and I maintain that those people would be a lot happier if they learned to chill out and quit trying to control the responses of an entire mailing list of individuals.

I think Carol McCoy's idea was the only solution, frankly. If you truly want to have serious conversations without being annoyed by list members who don't want to take you seriously, then you need to create a spin-off list that is moderated with rules that allow that to happen. I can think of no reason why you and Neil and anyone else who is bothered wouldn't *want* to do that...

I've belonged to many, many lists in my years on the internet and I've yet to see this kind of "argument" succeed. If you don't like this list and the way it's set up to work, then the only solution is to create a list that fits your own personal parameters and invite like-minded people. It is an exercise in futility to try to control other people when it isn't even "your" list. The only way you could possibly make it happen for you on *this* list is to convince *Calle* to institute rules (and have him enforce them) that fit your vision of what the list should be. Is that going to happen?

Annie