[extropy-chat] the RBL racket

[Olie Lamb]

On 9/11/06, Russell Wallace <russell.wallace at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> You'd put a man in _prison_ for typing words on a computer keyboard?
>
> That puts you over the line, I'm afraid.
>
> Sorry, but there are limits. This transgresses them.
>

Would you put someone in prison for killing, assault, theft?  Because typing
words on a computer can lead to just such acts...

"But your honour, I didn't kill him.  I just pulled the trigger on this here
mechanical projectile device"
"But your honour, I didn't kill him.  I just wrote a blog article offering
money to anyone who would."
"But your honour, I didn't steal his money, I just typed some words on a
keyboard"

The fact that the intermediary step is typing, rather than any other act, is
irrelevant.

Cause is a funny thing.

Furthermore:

In Sensible land, you wouldn't get jailed for a few occasions of yelling
unwanted advice your neighbour.  You could get jailed for breaking into
their house and spruiking with a megaphone.  You probably wouldn't get
jailed for throwing an empty drink container onto their lawn.  If, however,
you dumped trailerloads of garbage onto every house in town...

So too with unsolicited emails.  No-one in Sensible Land is going to
advocate or be jailed for a few unwanted messages.  If, however, the printed
ones would fill soccer stadia...

--Olie
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