Klarinet Archive - Posting 000110.txt from 1995/07

From: bassethn@-----.ORG
Subj: illegal chain letters &"n
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 1995 20:14:34 -0400

It has been written:

>These chain letters are illegal. Is there a way to report them? I read
>on a newsgroup once somewhere that there was - I sent it to my sysop
>here, and he said he couldn't do anything about it."

I suggest that this nuclear document is NOT a 'chain letter'; it is a
'petition', a most democratic vehicle designed for use in a democratic
society. 'Chain letter' connotes something really obnoxious, a pyramid
scheme, a 'money raising-or-you'll be cursed forever' scheme, etc. It
makes me really nervous when censorship of human issues under the guise of
'what is best for all' uses (or misinterprets) 'rules', however
well-intentioned, to shout its cause. Censorship of this type is arguably
the most subversive and insidious form of human rights violation.

Jennifer Adams wrote:
Ij> Surely the inconvenience of having to execute a single key-stroke to
Ij> delete these messages if you don't like them is nothing compared to
Ij> the horror of what will happen if these tests run according to plan,
Ij> not to mention what will happen if something goes wrong.

Gary rebutted:
Ig> I'm sorry, but that isn't the point.
Ig> The cause is excellent. You should support it in any way you can.
Ig> But let me try a counter example. I am a Christian. Let's say I
Ig> believe that unless you accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior,
Ig> you will burn in Hell. Let's say I think people's "arrogant, self
Ig>importance" in not accepting God consigns them to burn forever, so out
>of my love for them I should do anything I can to convert them

I see a problem with Gary's argument. Nuclear devices are of the
corporeal world and therefore have excellent potential of eliminating
humanity and life on earth as we know it. The next world, although much
greater than this world in the beliefs of many, will not be affected by
nuclear devices. The potential of nuclear devices affect us *all*, here
and now, all of humanity including athiests, agnostics, Christians,
Muslims & Jews. Gary's example is, in broad terms, a special interest
issue, i.e., his love for people and his belief in Jesus Christ etc.
Chain letters often support 'special interest group issues' in often an
unethical, threatening or manipulative manner (sic Gary's example 'you'll
burn in hell'). The French open air tests of nuclear mass-destruction
devices is hardly a 'special interest group' issue. This matter needs to
be kept in perspective, folks.

All that said, I thought that this was a clarinet forum. Perhaps we
should stick to discussion of that diabolical instrument rather than the
nuclear one. I don't believe that the clarinet has the potential to
eliminate all life on earth (although many flutists would disagree with
me).

David Bourque

---
* Freddie 1.2.5 * Symphonic Music is a GREAT PRODUCT--Managements Must Sell It
As Such!!