[at-l] Please sign emergency petition ...is it off topic?

[bullard@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Jim Bullard)]

At 09:42 AM 3/5/2003 -0500, athummingbird wrote:
>Plodder wrote.."Please let this start no flames, but it's way off topic."
>
>Maybe it is just me, but I do not consider this off topic as it goes back to
>our basic freedoms.  Wouldn't a war seriously effect our ability to
>hike...especially for all the folks that are drafted and forced to be
>fighting instead of taking a spiritual journey and feeling that peace??
>
>Hummingbird (who just signed....thank you!)

Personally I have no problem with letting the list know about the petition
so list members can decide for themselves whether to participate and per
the request of the poster, that (IMHO) should have been the end of it.  The
resulting thread debating the issue (not to mention questioning one
another's motives, intelligence and/or patriotism) is inappropriate. Ryan
said he wanted the tread stopped.  It's his list.  We should honor Ryan's
request even if passion doesn't permit us to honor Sloetoe's.

Saunterer