12927: Suggestion of a new list policy: posted by Bob Corbett

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Folks, I have really gotten lots and lots and lots of complaints about
a major shift in the list in the past year or two.  From the opening of
the list in 1994 until this change began to occur the overwhelming bulk of
posts were the views of the poster him or herself.

There were always some newspaper stories from recognized sources.

But lately we have had the various political factions of Haiti seemingly
trying to out do one another in posting political propaganda pieces, in
house stuff cranked out for political purposes not to really inform or
challenge.

People on this list decidedly don't like this and thus the complaints I
get.

On the other hand, I do not care to tackle the daunting job of being list
censor save for the two primary categories I have accepted since 1994:

1. Censoring out things that aren't EXPLICITLY about Haiti.
2.  Censoring out personal attacks on list members concerning something
	they have posted.

I will continue to do that.

---------------

However, I am considering a new rule for the list and would like to hear
what you think of it.  I won't post all these replies to the list since
the issue is not one for "vote," this is a private list and not a public
holding.  But, I very much respect your views and would like to hear them.

My thought is this:

Were I to REQUIRE every post to carry as the LAST THING in the subject
line:

Posted by ....... .....   and then the name of the person posting it
(not the AUTHOR of it, but who is posting it)

then people already know who are the folks whose stuff they want to see
and read and who's they don't and they could make the decision with their
delete buttons.

I would still respect the notion of "anonymous" posting as I have always
done, but only for items which are truly "sensitive" and not allow the
political propagandists to escape open announcing in that manner.

I did this notification at the beginning of this post to show what it
looks like.

It is not list policy YET.  I am just coming to you to ask your advice
about what you think of the idea.  But, I do already recommend it to you
as a voluntary notion to save people from having to open stuff they just
don't want.  That seems a fair thing to offer list members.

All advice is welcome. Again, I won't post to the list discussions of list
policy since that's not discussion of HAITI ITSELF, and the list is not
open to vote of any sort.

But, your advice is sincerely sought and will be considered with respect
and care.

Bob Corbett