dgreen@ucla-cs.UUCP (10/08/84)
This article appeared in net.religion a week ago and did not appear here, by mistake. Although submissions to net.motss since my original posting have been exceptionally informative, I believe that net.motss will regress again to uncontrollable flaming, for the reasons outlined below. Therefore, I will continue to advocate a moderated discussion group. ----- I am in definite agreement with Steve Dyer. As one who would like to see fruitful interchange, and as one who regularly hits the "n" key in response to any indication of flaming, it would be a welcome relief. As I said in a previous article, Arndt style behavior has been used effectively against many well-meaning, but open, groups. It is a classic battle, seen in the context of the players themselves: The more undemocratic and unprincipled conservatives (people desiring no change) being able to destroy a more democratic group, using that democracy as a tool against it. It happens all the time. The FBI used this technique to destroy student activist groups in the 1960s. Indeed, the most violent members of such groups were often directly hired by the FBI. The groups that were astute enough to recognize infiltration survived that time-period. There were very few. Some gay groups numbered among the survivors. Therefore, I suggest that a moderated group be formed, and nominate Steve Dyer as moderator. Dan Greening