From britdisc-owner@csv.warwick.ac.uk Thu Mar 20 20:22:22 1997 Received: by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk id TAA25970; Thu, 20 Mar 1997 19:56:21 GMT Received: from polaris.kbw.co.uk by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk with SMTP id TAA25963; Thu, 20 Mar 1997 19:56:12 GMT Received: from RUKBAT (RUKBAT [194.70.193.70]) by polaris.kbw.co.uk (NTMail 3.02.10) with ESMTP id da005827 for <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk>; Thu, 20 Mar 1997 19:55:47 +0000 Message-Id: <3.0.32.19970320200016.00948930@mail> X-Sender: roger@mail X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0 (32) Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 20:00:17 +0000 To: britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk From: Roger Thomson <roger@kbw.co.uk> Subject: Abuse of mailing lists and threats Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sender: owner-britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Dear all, Don't I seem to have set him off! Apologies to those uninterested or those who haven't been following my and PAUL MEANEY's postings. Read no further. Firstly let me tell you that not only was I pretty shocked at reading Paul's latest posting ( the one including 'come and have a go if you think that you are hard enough') but I was pretty surprised that he didn't send me it personally rather than expose everyone else to this. Now I know that I'm often sharp and strong-minded in the things I say on Britdisc, and I'm more than willing to accept my fair share of flak - live by the sword, die by the sword and all that, but I don't like getting abusive and threatening mails, like this one Paul sent along as well: >Roger , > > I've kept this one to ourselves. Just to politely say that if you >ever tell me to fucking 'just roll over' on a public forum like britdisc >I'll not be amused. Understand me sonny? Where's the spirit in that? How am I supposed to face this man if I were ever to play against him on an Ultimate field? It's especiall y sinister since I have no idea who he is or what team he plays for, yet he obviously knows me. I think Paul will find that it was him who escalated the posts with: 'ahhhhhh, you're breaking my heart.'; 'Gadzooks! that smarts! Pass the savlon, I have a cut from that razor wit! '; and 'Oh dear dear dear dear dear dear DEAR!!!'; all postings in his usual abrasive style which was commented on by Sammy several posts ago and which we have all had to endure ever since Paul got his hands on some reins of power. If he also concedes the point about the schedule - which he has done (and unfortunately not gracefully), then I think a retort to the above insulting language was more than called for and in keeping with the retributory spirit which Paul himself condones. I think we need to carefully consider what has gone on here and learn some lessons for the future. The internet, mailing lists etc CAN have serious consequences. You may only have read about it before, but I think from the tone in the mail that Paul sent me you can all see what potential there is for things to go wrong. If people are mature, sensible, and have a sense of humour there are far fewer risks (I remember flaming Bud quite seriously and him flaming me back - but I think he'd agree we still get on pretty well whenever we see each other), but as broadcast media like this list become more widely applicable we have to be more careful. Do we need any new guidelines? Informational posting only? It would be a shame, but if it will help prevent others from getting physically threatened (which is how I feel) then it may well be worth it. As for 'Come and have a go if you think that you are hard enough' and the rest of the insults in Paul's appalling email - baah, it really is beneath contempt and I just hope for his sake that he doesn't intend to pursue any of his threats from behind his veil of anonymity. Anyway, I'm going home. Roger SLIGHTLY SADDER GUNNER THAN EARLIER TODAY.