[extropy-chat] Extropic Freedom and the Fate of Dissidents

[Samantha Atkins]

What Mike did often went far beyond what is acceptable or healthy for  
the list.  That said, I did not know he had been banned although I  
advocated it myself more than once.  I had my reasons.  I don't  
consider it very fruitful to discuss them here at this time.

It is not remotely an issue of "extropic freedom" or unfairness to  
dissidents.

- samantha

On Oct 29, 2005, at 8:33 PM, The Avantguardian wrote:

>      I am writing this because I had noticed that the
> list has been rather tame lately with respect to
> heated political debate. In trying to put my finger on
> exactly why this normally lively list had seemed sort
> of flat lately, I noticed that I had seen a post by
> Mike Lorrey in some time. Now I don't Mike personally,
> and in many respects he is a carmudgeon and a gadfly,
> I also know that he is very bright and opinionated.
> While I myself am a liberal (I live in California and
> so socialism is in air I breath and the water I
> drink.) and disagree with Mike on many issues, I also
> FOR THIS VERY REASON value Mike's input. Without
> somebody to disagree with you, to challenge your
> beliefs and opinions, you stand the risk of falling
> into the delusion of believing that your own opinions
> (and when we speak of politics that is all there are -
> opinions) are true, flawless, and consistent.
>
> Well as we all know, Mike is a controversial figure in
> many respects, going so far as to challenge the SCOTUS
> on issues of imminent domain and such. With the scent
> of fascism in the air, here in the U.S., I naturally
> worried that Mike had gotten in some sort of trouble
> and had been arrested or what not. So I emailed him to
> ascertain his fate.
>
> Imagine my surprise when I discovered he had been
> booted from the list by none other than Natasha. So in
> the interest of justice and the Extropic principles of
> freedom and self-expression, I ask that someone here
> in authority (how can you have AUTHORITY whilst being
> apolitical?) explain to me the justification for
> exiling one of the most opinionated and interesting
> posters from this list?
>
> To claim to be apolitical and then turning around and
> heavy-handedly booting someone from the list for
> challenging that notion seems ironic to say the least
> but that is not my chief complaint. I am not
> questioning the RIGHT of the Keepers of the List to
> boot anybody they want to (including myself) from the
> list for whatever reason they want. What I am
> questioning is why they did not do it in full public
> view with stated reasons, instead of "disappearing"
> them in the quiet of the night like insecure
> dictators?
>
> Don't get me wrong, I like this list and I respect its
> moderators, but I liked it a lot more when there was
> heterogeneity of opinion. I for one love my critics
> because they give me ideas for continual
> self-improvement.
>
> Extropically Yours,
>
>
>
>
>
> The Avantguardian
> is
> Stuart LaForge
> alt email: stuart"AT"ucla.edu
>
> "If you fear death, you are not living right; if you don't want to  
> live forever, you are not living well." - a sparrow outside my window.
>
>
>
>
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