Re: Usenet forgery being investigated

In article <GEVANS.96Apr28114357_at_mvagusta.uk.tele.nokia.fi>, gevans_at_mvagusta.uk.tele.nokia.fi (Gareth Evans) wrote:

>:
>: > Whatever happened to "freedom of expression" in a democratic society, or
>: > sanity even?
>:
>:You could say the same about bombers. After all they only send a small
>:electrical pulse across a radio link.

No the critical difference is that there is no bomb at the end of this link, merely a relatively harmless monitor screen.

>:What are you going to do? Punish them for the misuse of radio transmitters?

Me? I am not going to punish anyone. I think people should be punished for physically harming other people though, whoever they are. People should always be free to express an opinion however outrageous or unfactual or theoretically libellous provided that the intended victim is *as free* to express their opposing opinions.

>:If I wrote "My name is Frank Hendrix and <Insert famous figure in society>
>:takes it up the shitter" then that's libel and Frank would be libelous. Even
>:though it's not Frank.
>:
>:Now is that acceptable?

I think criticisms of public figures and corporations are quite in order and should never be brought to law. Poor people do not have the luxury of recourse to libel law in the UK so they just have to grin and bear any brickbats that come their way. This is patently unfair and socially divisive.

As for Frank he probably deserves everything he gets and I am surprised he is not in favour of free speech, the old bastard.

Doug.

--
London, England, UK, EU.