response 50 of 51:

Jun 18 17:32 UTC 2001

I agree with Sara that I do not find jep's argument confusing.  I may 
find WHY he feels this way confusing, but the argument itself is rather 
clear.  We have in a way made a departure, but it was for the best.  
The time has passed where small BBS groups can operate without 
government interference.  It was, truly only a matter of time before we 
would have to make sure our financial house was in order as befitting 
an NPO.  There's no way we can avoid it! We now know that there are 
things we must to to keep our internal house in order so that there is 
no hassle in the long run.  Some of the obligations we have to maintain 
grex and what it stands for may be time-consuming, and some of it 
definitely feels unreasonable, but the work I think we can agree is 
worth it.  Call it a labor of love.  

I don't think anyone can disagree that the time has passed--if it ever 
existed--where we can expect to have our freedom without a little work 
on our part.  If we don't defend Grex's right to exist in the way it 
was founded or defend the ideas we stand for, we truly have no right to 
complain when our rights are taken away.  Sitting around and taking "no 
opinion" on freedom of speech and expression when it is targetted your 
way is beyond lazy.  This was not a "partisan" issue.  Everyone, 
regardless of their political beliefs, has a right to the protection 
that the Constitution was crafted to offer.  We were hardly straying 
from our mission in this regard at all.  I'm sure jep would have been 
royally pissed had we sat there, twiddled our thumbs and not done a 
thing, only to have this victory slip between our fingers.  Sure, we 
can argue that the suit would have won without our help, but, again, 
that's the lazy approach.  And who knows, there's also something to be 
said about strength in numbers and adding a organizations on the suit 
with nearly ten (or more in some cases) solid years of operation behind 
it.  That's nothing to laugh at, truly.  that gives other groups more 
encouragement to join the suit that could impact their ability to 
function.  We may have been more helpful than many realize.