Another take on Russ Allbery's rant, by Benton Smith
Uni...@sputsouth.com
in news.admin.net-abuse.usenet:
>
>If I ever touch http://thingy.apana.org.au/~fun/agsf/ again, this is going up.
I request mirror rights. A huge plate to brownies to benton. (And
always some for you.)
>From ben...@nethescurial.net Sat Aug 19 17:56:40 2000
>Path: thingy.apana.org.au!news.tele.dk!NEWS.TELE.DK!195.238.2.15!skynet.be!newsfeed.cwix.com!chnws02.mediaone.net!chnws05.ne.mediaone.net!24.128.8.70!typhoon.ne.mediaone.net.POSTED!benton
>From: ben...@nethescurial.net (saint benton of the one-winged dove)
>Newsgroups: alt.gothic
>Subject: what is greater than speech
>Reply-To: ben...@nethescurial.net
>Approved: by pounding sodomy
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>Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 02:50:50 GMT
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>Xref: thingy.apana.org.au alt.gothic:461717
>
>satar did say elsewhere:
>
>>I'm not deliberately missing your point (or at least I hope not). The
>>behavior of impersonating other posters falls within my definition of
>>true free speech.
>
>oi. you.
>
>Some time ago, I came to alt.gothic. I came because I had read
>on the web of the people who were here. I read about goth and
>the people that called themselves goths on the web. I participated
>in mailing lists that were outpost of the subculture and was
>impressed with the people therein. I thought that goth people
>were really cool and I wanted to be part of it.
>
>I met someone in the pitt in Harvard Square who was a regular
>on alt.gothic, and they told me that I should join because I
>was a keen person and I'd enjoy the conversations here.
>
>I was eighteen.
>
>I read alt.gothic for some time. I read of people's travels to
>convergence four. I read how much these people enjoyed their
>time together. I read their stories. I wanted to be part of
>their stories. I wanted to know them.
>
>And so, in the winter of 1998, I became a regular on alt.gothic.
>
>Since then I have laughed with the people here. I have read
>their stories. I have shared their triumphs. I have told
>my stories. People have copied them down and saved them to
>read on cold and rainy nights when they need to laugh or
>think or smile.
>
>I have cried for hours for the people of alt.gothic. We have
>shared tragedy.
>
>I have sung with joy and praise for the relationships that
>have been formed on this group. We have children of this
>group. We have marriages which not have happened if not for
>this group. We have had people travel across the oceans to
>know people that they have met on this group.
>
>Because of alt.gothic, I have travelled across the continent
>twice to see these people whose words I have read. People
>whose words were so powerful, so funny, so rich with shared
>experience that we gather once a year to see each other. In
>between these times, I do know that should I leave my home
>I can go from Glasgow to London to Dublin to Baltimore
>to DC to NYC to Chicago to Atlanta to Jacksonville to
>Oklahoma to St. Louis to Montana to Seattle to San Fransisco
>to The City Of Angels to Tasmiania to Perth to Adelidale to Darwin
>and I should not be alone. That people there will know my
>name and open their door for me. For we know each other,
>even if we have never met.
>
>And you would toss this community down in favor of your
>desire to see the theoretical limits of free speech tested.
>
>Not in my coffeehouse.
>
>For USENET had given us a voice. USENET has given us a home.
>USENET has given us a place at the table.
>
>You would see that the printing press be smashed and that
>the pages be covered with ink. That my name be forged at
>the bottom of nonsense that I did not write and that
>what I have crafted and posted on the wall to be read be
>covered over in the name of your definition of free speech.
>
>Not in my salon.
>
>The community that I am part of means more to me than your
>intellectual farting about definitions of free speech.
>
>And so, I will meet attacks with all the arts of war that
>I can muster. I do not speak of such things, for that is
>not productive, but our hands weave busy work behind the
>scenes. Do not think that because some of us do not shout
>that we do not act.
>
>There is a place at our table, should you wish to join us.
>
>If you do not wish to, you can continue to tilt at your
>windmills. I will be having too much fun reading the people
>who I enjoy and care about to note your absence.
>
>Not in the city where I am a citizen.
>
>May the One shine on us all, even if we do say some things.
>
>--
>saint benton of the one-winged dove -- ICQ: 32861590
>The Blue Citadel: http://www.velvet.net/~benton/
>alt.gothic.quotes: http://www.velvet.net/~benton/quotes.html
>join the journal cult: http://benton.livejournal.com/