[news.admin] Democracy at work: Big brother

justin@inmet.UUCP (06/16/88)

Re: the comp.women disaster

What is a poor user to do? Here, we are faced with a couple of members of
the backbone pushing through a (deliberate or otherwise) power-play. The net
is an *anarchy*, right? The only reason it works is because most everyone
plays by the rules, right? Now, we have members of the backbone, the crew
that is supposed to be setting the tone for the net, breaking their own
rules, and trying to impose their will on the net as a whole.

You know what's scariest? Bob Webber has been saying that this would happen,
for two months now. I'd taken his predictions with a grain of salt (ok, a
boulder of salt), but he was absolutely right about what would happen.

So what can I do? Well, I'm going to write to Trish, and have her change
my vote to a "YES". I voted against this group, but, blast it, it was voted
in fair and square! It is appalling that it hasn't been created. Apparently,
one of the excuses given for the group not being created was that there were
so many "NO" votes. Fine; strike mine from the rolls. Yes, it's breaking the
rules, but it's in protest of the fact that the rules have *already* been
broken.

I encourage any and all to follow suit. If you voted "NO" on this issue, but
still believe in the rules that hold the net together, change your vote
today. Maybe if the backbone is presented with a suddenly-overwhelming
majority, they'll realize how asinine they're being.

(By the way, the insults implied above are levelled *only* at the backbone
members who are blocking the group. To the silent majority: *please* speak
up, and help Spaf out. He seems to be fighting a pretty lonely war to get
the guidelines followed.)

						-- Justin du Coeur
						   justin@inmet.inmet.com