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Re: [at-l] What goes?

In a message dated 5/11/98 1:08:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
northernwind@mail.geocities.com writes:

<< I would be sad
 if the word police tried to clean up trail registers or tried to 
 impose some kind of guidelines for what's appropriate.  One person
 may be offended by four letter words.  Another person might be 
 offended by religious witnessing.  Censorship is a slippery slope. >>

Censorship is not the issue.  Respect for the fact that children read the
registers is what I'm interested in.  Are we so selfish that we cannot word
our comments in a polite manner?  As a parent and Scout leader, this is
important to me.

Just for argument's sake let's say that every time I came to a register entry
that contained obscene language or drawings, I ripped those entries out of the
register (assume I could do it without destroying other entries so that my
point won't be muddled with other issues.)  Have I violated any law?  Haven't
I just expressed myself as an individual?  We glorify the right of the
individual to free expression.  I'm not acting on behalf of the government,
just common decency.  Since the government isn't involved the Bill of Rights
doesn't come into play.  Therefore the question becomes: Who has the greater
right: the writer of obscene entries or the vigilante who removes them?  I
claim that the rights are equal, and they are also irrelevant.

What is relevant is how we relate to each other on the Trail.  I could never
remove a register entry because of my respect for the owner of the register.
And I expect that hikers making entries in the registers will also respect the
owner and the readers of the registers by not turning them into bathroom
graffiti.  We do not use four letter words on this list because of the public
nature of the discourse.  We all benefit by the understanding and forbearance
we practice.  And the product that results is elevated because we exclude
certain language.  I suggest that the Trail register is exactly the same kind
of pubic discourse and that we should practice the same forbearance.  It's not
censorship, it's common decency.

Happy trails,

Solar Bear
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