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25 new of 95 responses total.
rcurl
response 38 of 95: Mark Unseen   May 31 20:31 UTC 1999

Re #36: I generally disfavor using the legal power of formal votes under
the bylaws in order to essentially conduct a "straw vote". Nothing would
change if such a motion 'in favor' were voted up or down, and hence it
is just an exercise. I think people are doing what you want - a straw
vote - in this item, by their more than majority expressions of supporting
the suit. 

In regard to #37: ..ahem.. isn't this a *computer conferencing system*,
and not a "telephone conferencing system"? What's this with - good grief -
telephone polls, when we are here virtual-face-to-face, responding to
an implicit poll? 
janc
response 39 of 95: Mark Unseen   May 31 20:35 UTC 1999

A special board meeting has been called for, but not yet scheduled. 
Apparantly John is out of town this week.  We still need to figure out which
board members are available when this week.
steve
response 40 of 95: Mark Unseen   May 31 23:03 UTC 1999

   I'll make myself available whatever day.  This is extremely important.
janc
response 41 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 1 01:17 UTC 1999

I'm available any evening this week.
dang
response 42 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 1 15:35 UTC 1999

Me too.
mta
response 43 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 1 20:20 UTC 1999

I've cleared the deck for every evening through Friday to be available for
this critical meeting.
aruba
response 44 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 1 21:01 UTC 1999

Looks like the meeting will be either Thursday the 3rd or Monday the 7th.
I am waiting to here back from Michael Steinberg.
gutchess
response 45 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 2 05:01 UTC 1999

Avoid this lawsuit Grex, you have nothing to fear.  I used to like the ACLU
about 20 years ago, but they changed quite a bit since then.  Now, the ACLU
considers hard-core pornography to be "free speech".
   
Saying parents should oversee their children's web surfing, not the government
is a cowardly cop-out from people who mistake "freedom" for "licentiousness".
Yeah, if Grex allows, passively allows, sexually explicit material to be
transmitted to or solicited from minors, Grex should be busted and fined.
rcurl
response 46 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 2 05:17 UTC 1999

Why? What's wrong with sexually explicit material being transmitted to or
from minors? In all of this discussion, no one has explained the
rationale. What harm does it do? Please be specific. Many minors certainly
engage in sexually explicit speech on their own. Frequent indulgence in
such speech strikes me as rather mindless and stupid, but so is most of
television. 

cyklone
response 47 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 2 12:05 UTC 1999

Good point. Many years ago, when I was in high school, the parents of a
friend of mine got him a subscription to Playboy. Without re-reading the
entire text of the proposed act, it occurs to me that there are no
provisions for parents who may wish to permit their minor child access to
pornography (although I guess they could claim "educational purpose"). So
jep and gutchess, what about those all-important parental rights? 

scott
response 48 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 2 14:01 UTC 1999

I think the text of the bill did let the parent or guardian legally provide
such material for educational purposes.
aruba
response 49 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 2 14:06 UTC 1999

The board meeting to discuss joining the suit will be Monday the 7th at
7:30 PM.  Location TBA.
jep
response 50 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 2 18:15 UTC 1999

re #47: I think it's best to let parents have control over what their 
kids can access, since no one else in all the world can or wants to take 
responsibility for bringing up kids.  However, that has been no part of 
my argument against participating in this issue.  It hasn't been a 
factor for anyone in this discussion, as far as I know.

If Grex engaged in a campaign of ensuring kids get unrestricted access 
to materials their parents don't want them to see, I'd fight very hard 
against Grex.  I don't think Grex is so inclined.  I don't think I'm 
fighting against Grex; I am arguing for Grex's best interests.
aaron
response 51 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 3 16:13 UTC 1999

By arguing that it should ignore a statute which would dramatically
change the way it does business, and perhaps put it out of business?
With friends like you, does Grex need enemies?
jep
response 52 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 3 16:34 UTC 1999

I think it's possible to distinguish between someone who hates Grex, and 
me, Aaron.  I'll make you a deal, though: if you can get a Board member 
or root to say that it is not, I'll leave and never come back to plague 
Grex again.  If you can't, then clearly you were baselessly attacking 
because of your inability to make a point.  Okay?
aruba
response 53 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 3 23:38 UTC 1999

The board meeting will be in the Kids Room at Zingerman's Next Door on Monday 
the 7th at 7:30 PM.
albaugh
response 54 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 4 05:17 UTC 1999

Just as long as the board (at least in *that* room) doesn't discuss 
anything considered harmful to children!  :-)
aaron
response 55 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 4 13:52 UTC 1999

re #52: John, I think you need to spend a bit more time thinking, and a bit
        less time reacting instinctively to your jerking knee. I did not
        state that you didn't mean well -- just that your advice is
        misguided and destructive. If you think through the consequences of
        the act, you may be able to understand why your suggestions are
        being so uniformly rejected.

        It's a bit like telling a choking person to follow the folk
        remedy of "eating a piece of dry bread." You mean well, but your
        advice is entirely misguided.
jep
response 56 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 4 14:48 UTC 1999

Oh.  I'm convinced now.  Thanks for explaining it so well, Aaron!

(heh)
aaron
response 57 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 6 03:14 UTC 1999

You will only understand, John, if you make an effort.
bruin
response 58 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 6 20:20 UTC 1999

If I don't make it over to Zingerman's tomorrow evening, I would like to
indicate my unwavering support for Grex becoming a part of the ACLU legal
action.
janc
response 59 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 8 03:05 UTC 1999

I think I'm going to revise the wording of the motion I originally proposed as follows:

Cyberspace Communications should continue to act as a plaintiff in the lawsuit aimed at overturning Michigan Public Act 33 of 1999.

First, since the board has already voted to join the lawsuit, the issue is not whether to join but whether to continue. I also think this makes it a bit clearer that a "NO" vote on this would force us to withdraw. Also it more accurately names the law in question.

rcurl
response 60 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 8 04:48 UTC 1999

A NO vote on that motion is not a positive action to discontinue. People
could vote NO because they don't like the wording of the motion, or want
some other action, such as a modification of our involvement in the suit.
A NO vote on the motion is only a denial of the motion, and not a YES vote
on a possible opposite to the motion. The motion simply fails if it does
not pass: the failure of a motion is never a positive vote for something
else. 

The way to proceed is to change "continue" to "discontinue", and then
everyone will know what they are voting on and the consequence if the
motion is passed. If it (or any other motion) fails, it is the same as the
motion not having been made.

scg
response 61 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 8 05:26 UTC 1999

This was discussed at the board meeting tonight.  Jan said that he understood
the technical reasons for Rane's objections to the motion, but that he's not
willing to propose a motion to get out of the suit, since he's not willing
to be the sponsor of a motion he disagrees with.  The board considered putting
into their motion to join the suit a clause saying that Grex would pull out
of the suit if the members didn't ratify the decision but decided not to,
instead verbally agreeing that if this motion didn't pass they would convene
another board meeting to vote on getting out of the suit.  Since nobody
expects this motion to fail, having to deal with it failing was not seen as
very likely.
cmcgee
response 62 of 95: Mark Unseen   Jun 8 12:12 UTC 1999

This is a very clear motion; yes means "yes, continue", no means "no, don't
continue".  Rane's suggestion fails the test of "Yes means support of the
action", which is a requirement in some ballot wording laws.  It is usually
considered confusing and potentially misleading to voters to have to vote "no"
to make something they desire happen.  
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