F I D O  N E W S --                   Vol.12  No.13    (27-Mar-1995)
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|  A newsletter of the       |   ISSN 1198-4589 Published by:          |
|  FidoNet BBS community     |   "FidoNews" BBS                        |
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|       (_|  /_)             |        Doc Logger  1:163/110            |
|        _`@/_ \    _        |        Rev. Richard Visage  1:163/409   |
|       |     | \   \\       |                                         |
|       | (*) |  \   ))      |   Editors:                              |
|       |__U__| /  \//       |        Donald Tees      1:221/192       |
|        _//|| _\   /        |        Sylvia Maxwell   1:221/194       |
|       (_/(_|(____/         |                                         |
|             (jm)           |     Newspapers should have no friends.  |
|                            |                    -- JOSEPH PULITZER   |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
========================================================================
                         Table of Contents
========================================================================

1.  Editorial.....................................................  1
2.  Articles......................................................  2
     The FIJA Echo...............................................  2
     One Misguided editorial.....................................  3
     OJ_SIMPSON Echo.............................................  5
     Adept Sysops................................................  5
     Subject: Cuba & The Fidonet.................................  6
     A mere peon speaks out about the "Fidogods".................  6
     EFF.........................................................  8
3.  Fidonews Information.......................................... 15
========================================================================
                             Editorial
========================================================================
FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  2                    27 Mar 1995


 It is interesting that I have had more reponse to the ECROC
editorial than I have had to most editorials.  Only one article,
but several letters.  Funnily enough, the letters are evenly
split, half saying how much they liked what I said and how I
said it, and the other half equally adamantly opposed to the
entire editorial.

  I am not sure where I stand at the moment, I am thinking
about it.  An interesting issue, and one I am going to think on
a bit more.

  humph.  you are supposed to say things with which i can argue ;)
?what are we doing here:

  Trying to write an editorial.

  Problem is, I can see both sides.  Yes, there is a need for
"kitchen table" style echoes, where a moderator attempts to
shape the echo into a particular form.  That particular form may
not be susceptable to any rules but "common sense", or an
attempt at it.  There is also a need for echos where
participants can be assured that they know the results of
certain types of actions.  Where certain actions result in well
defined moderator action, and anger has no part in it.

  I simply do not see the need to eliminate the former, and the
current style.  Any moderator can make an echo ECROC compliant
now, and no one will stop them.  It is when the ECROC
insist that the only method allowed is ITS method that I
object. I do not think *any* way is the only way.
========================================================================
                              Articles
========================================================================
The FIJA Echo
By: The Illustrious Echo Critic

   Hmmmm...got on this local board the other day and saw this new
echo. FIJA? (FeeJuh?) Hunh? What in the flying pig-eye is a Feejuh?

   Type A21 and slam the enter key twice (I love those neet stacked
commands that Maximus gives you in lieu of hotkeys) and up comes this
stuff about jury rights by some character in Austin. Hmmmmm

   Pop the key a couple of times and eventually I come up with an
uploaded text file. More jury rights. Blahhhhh puffff hufffff <groan>

   In hopes of finding something juicy, I scan the subject lines.
Nothing but jury rights and jury rights stuff. What IS this crap about
jury RIGHTS? I mean I have been on a couple of juries and nobody ever
said a damned thing about ME having any rights except the right to
shut up and do what the judge told us to. Bugs me...I go back to
message 1 and start again. (It's local, who cares if I run out the
clock but me and my sysop?) Right at the beginning...and I was there
when the clock busted my connect and left me craving for more and
FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  3                    27 Mar 1995

unable to connect for another day.

   I decide to cheat. Logging on as a new user, I attempt the
call-back gizmo.. damn! BUSTED again! Arrrrgggghhh...NOW my sysop will
probably dump me into some blackhole for users where my account will
be axed forever and I'll never get to finish reading that echo..ever.

   I am hoping that by begging and pleading in FIDOnews that I might
get a connect for FIJA in my area. One where the sysop hasn't
digitally encrypted my phone number into the one single entry in his
baduser file to mock my addiction for this incredible echo that is so
important to the balance of world power.

   It's all about the only mechanism the people of the US have
available to them to make right what a legislature has done
wrong...one case at a time. The jury system. It's about your rights as
a juror. It's about the power of the people and their right to wield
that power. It's about how the government will not tell you that you
have these powers...even though the rights are part of the law! It's
about making the judges tell you your rights (they give the defendant
his rights on arrest, why should a jury be deprived of thier rights?)
and passing laws that require them to tell each and every juror what
his/her rights are as part of the instructions to the jury. It's about
making people aware that they have a choice to not convict if a law is
unjust. It's about Justice.

   I gotta find that echo. I know someone out there has it......

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

One Misguided editorial

One Misguided Editorial
  by Bob Moravsik (2606/583)

In Fidonews C11 you heard misguided ravings of how echo
moderators invite you into THEIR kitchen when you post.  Over
and over the tone is one if "its mine mine mine", something
that reminds me of watching 5 year olds fight over the sand
in the sand box.  Let's interject some reality.

A conference is not a thing.  Its mearly a word use to
describe the collection of messages with the same "echotag".
Under current Fidonet policy, an echotag is not a protected
set of characters. ANYONE may author a message with ANY echotag
and route it to whoever accepts it.  Conference can not
be "owned".  To even allude to it is the mark of an individual
that has trouble with reality.

There are no rules other the Moravsik's
rule ie "the biggest .bbs wins".  Conference moderators exist
only to serve the posters.  If there are any property rights
the authors of the messages own them.  There is no kitchen, no
living room, no house.   If a moderator wants CONTROL...simply
deliver the messages on his/her dime.  Once messages with an
FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  4                    27 Mar 1995

area tag are routed though "others" each router may decide the
conditions he/she shall use to modify THEIR areas.bbs.

ECROC was a volutary code set up circa 1992 at the same time and
with the same committee that tweeked policy 4 to policy 4.1c.  It
introduced elections into Fidonet; offered a method to "throw the
bastards out" and tweeked a few abnomolies in the existing
policy 4 (ex...IC doesn't have to be a ZC; appeal from a ZC
decision only goes one way [now it can go up to the IC or to
the RC's...DUMBBBBB])

It gave routers a p4 analog.  Many routers found it reasonable.
Its seems to be a way to "time out" the sandbox mentality.  Some
moderators found it worked OK.  It doesn't put a router in the
position of judging.  It just insures certain minimal
"due process" is present.  It stops the Robbins/Winter/Johnstone
mentaility of making up rules as you go and enforcing them
unequally.  All it requires is that the moderator produce:

1. The text of the rule that was broken.
2. The message(s) that broke the rules
3. Two netmail warnings
4. The text of messages that show that a person has ignored the
  warnings.

If those can't be produced...well...we got a sandbox control
freak. The proper response is "Pound salt".   The echo splits
into multiple parts and lives on.  The "zec" can attest to that.
(whatever a "zec" is...its not in my copy of policy 4)

Hopefully someday, policy 4 will undergo a restatement with a
policy that balances 5 interests:

1. The poster
2. The moderator
3. The *C's
4. Whatever policy calls the *lc, *ec *tc etc.
5. The routers.

No one group should ever be allowed to unilaterally effect links.
THERE MUST BE "Due process" much like policy 4.  Until then,
ECROC is a pretty reasonable analog.  Some moderators may not
like it...BUT...there are plenty of salt hammers around.  OR
they can distribute messages OWNED by others written with
any echotag that is not owned, on their dime.

MY AREAS.BBS will be changed only when I'm sure the person
"requesting" the change has demonstrated that the reason
behind the request was not a product of an infantile temper
tantrum or a misguided mentality similar to the referenced
article in FNEWSC11.

Sorry Mr. Editor....it just ain't your sandbox.

                      ---*---
FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  5                    27 Mar 1995


OJ_SIMPSON Echo

By Don Teague
An Electronic Water Cooler Discussion

The trial of the century is going on out in LA right now. Now you have
a place to discuss the echo. Don't like the way the prosecution
presented thier case? Think the defense "dream team" is overrated?
Want to talk about the echo with other people than the under educated
people at work? Then this is the echo for you.

We should be able to get it on the backbone fairly quickly, but we
need some help. You may pick it up from one of three places.

Don Teague 1:130/82
Dan Mohrbacher 1:119/1033
Gary Earhart 1:2629/1

If you know of someone who would like to pick up the echo, please feel
free to pass it on to them.

If you have any questions please feel free to netmail me at 1:130/82.

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

Adept Sysops
by Robert Hilgar, 1:2623/0

AdeptXBBS is the hottest and latest trend in OS/2 PM based BBS
software. People everywhere are talking about this new breed of
32bit multi-threaded BBS system. Find out what all the excitement
is about by reading the Adept_Sysop conference available from
Jeff Towey at 1:2623/81. This conference is designed to be a
one stop place for information on the Adept product. Everything
is here from basic to advanced setup, bug lists (with workarounds
where possible), undocumented features, et cetera. This is a high
caliber forum with everyone from the beginner to advanced System
Administrator in mind. Find out tips on effectively running the BBS
with services like Planet Connect successfully. Features also include
discussion on the AdeptRexx interface as well as connecting your
system to the Internet. Help get this excellent conference approved
for backbone distribution by requesting it's addition via your NEC
or REC.
                   Thank You,
                     Robert Hilgar - TEAM OS/2
FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  6                    27 Mar 1995


Subject: Cuba & The Fidonet
From: JUAN PEREZ (1:3609/5)

Since the staff of FidoNews and Pablo Klienan seem to be all for
helping the government that is enslaving over 11 million of
human beings.

I would like to bring to your attention and to the attention of
those who are thinking in sending computers to the cuban
government the latest piece of legislation that Fidel Castro has
promulgated in Cuba within the last week.

Effective March 21, 1995 the possesion of home made satellite
antenas is illigal in Cuba, anyone found having one of these
illigal items, the first time will be fined $60.00 pesos (aprox
1 month salary), the second time will receive a jail sentence of
2 to 3 years.

Sicerely,

Juan F. Perez

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

A mere peon speaks out about the "Fidogods"
by Carl McCaskey
Fidonet -- 1:3605/75 & 1:3605/316
Internet -- [email protected]

[The following was written out of frustration concerning the appearance
of complete and utter apathy as well as clear contempt the "Fidogods"
have displayed.]

In recent issues, I have read editorials defending Mr. Peace's actions
as well as others questioning why the "Fidogods" aren't addressing the
issues/problems that exist within Fidonet. I'd like to throw my two
cents in with several specific questions:

1) How many P4 complaints in the past two years have actually been
upheld and not dismissed?

2) Will someone (a "Fidogod" specifically) please explain _in simple
English_ what P4 actually is? And provide several specific examples of
what would constitute a clearcut P4 violation.

3) Would some "Fidogod" please explain exactly what the Fidonet rules
mean when it uses the term "excesively annoying"? And as with question
2, please provide several specific examples?

These may sound like trivial questions to some longtime, insulated
"Fidogods" but since none of them have bothered to answer them in "the
appropriate echoes", I am beginning to doubt that they even know or wish
to commit to any concrete, enforcable standard.

FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  7                    27 Mar 1995

These questions also address another clear problem with Fidonet -- the
lack of understandable, clearcut rules and the lack of "Fidogods"
willing and/or able to take a firm stand and enforce them. For example,
the term "excessively annoying" is used in an important and specific
manner, but the term is so vague that no two people (especially those
people who are suppose to know, those "Fidogods") can agree on a
single definition.

Another example is P4. P4 is constantly used in a threatening manner by
certain moderators, users, etc., and is referred to often by the
"Fidogods" in netmail messages, echo posts, etc., but as far as I know,
no P4 complaints have been fully and completely upheld in North America
by the "Fidogods" at least in the past couple of years.

Which leads me to some other equally valid questions for you, the reader
(and perhaps a "Fidogod" or two) to ponder:

1) Why bother having P4 when clearcut violations are constantly ignored
by the "Fidogods"?

2) And for that manner, why bother having Fidonet rules when they are
hardly ever enforced (and in fact certain "Fidogods" keep alleging that
in fact since the net is made up of independent BBS'es there really
_aren't_ any rules for the net)?

3) And since P4 and the rules (as written) taken as a whole aren't
enforced, why even bother having "Fidogods" at all? Why not just go
completely anarchistic and link cuts be dammned?

Folks, I've been trying to get clear, concise answers to these and other
questions from the so-called "Fidogods" on any and all "appropriate
echoes" that I can get access to and after being ignored as well as
having my chain yanked, I'm beginning to have my doubts about the
competency of these so-called "Fidogods". It may be the only thing Steve
Winter and I agree on.

Finally, being the cynic that I am, I do not see anything getting better
anytime soon. The "Fidogods" are nice and insulated up on their
electronic "Mount Olympus" and we mere peons known to them as "users"
have no recourse for the apathy and incompetency shown by the "Fidogods"
on a day-by-day basis. Or maybe I should take a clue from Steve Winter
and hire some fly-by-night lawyer to threaten some sort of lawsuit for
it seems that legal intimidation is the _only_ way of getting any action
out of the apathetic Fidonet heirarchy.

You "Fidogods" need to realize; you shouldn't have accepted the job if
you don't have the guts to enforce the rules.
FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  8                    27 Mar 1995


From: Stanton McCandlish <[email protected]>
EFF
ALERT - Join Us in Opposing Exon Censorship Bill - ACT NOW!
Stanton McCandlish, Electronic Frontier Foundation, 1:109/1108
(for Shabbir Safdar and the Stop S314 Coalition)

   CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE US COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT (S. 314/H.R. 1004)
         (Note this is not the electronic "defeat S314" petition)

      Update: - Telecomm Reform bill scheduled for markup Thu 3/23/95
              - Sen. Leahy (D-VT) expresses "serious concerns", seeks
                alternatives that protect free speech
              - Coalition Internet campaign has an impact

     PLEASE WIDELY REDISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT WITH THIS BANNER INTACT
      DO NOT REDISTRIBUTE AFTER MAY 1, 1995
     DO NOT REPRODUCE THIS ALERT IN NON-POLITICAL FORUMS
   Mar. 17, 1995

     Distributed by the Voters Telecommunications Watch ([email protected])

**********************************************************************

[3/17/95:
Yet even more organizations have joined us.  Welcome aboard!

Next week (Mar 23, 1995) the telecomm reform bill will be marked up in
the Commerce committee.  If the Communications Decency Act is added to
the reform bill as an amendment, it will be *very difficult to stop*.
The result of this bill becoming a law will be to change the nature of
the Internet as we know it.  The volume of information we take for
granted will slow to a trickle.

Win this battle, and we've won the fight for this year and stopped the
bill.   Lose it and we'll be on the ropes in the Senate for the rest
of the session.

Only you can make the difference, and it will only take two minutes.

-Shabbir]

********************************************************************

In order to use the net more effectively, the following organizations
have joined forces on a single Congressional net campaign to stop the
Communications Decency Act, S. 314 (in alphabetical order):

the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),
the American Communication Association (ACA),
the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT),
the Center for Public Representation (CPR),
the Computer Communicators Association (CCA),
the Computing Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR),
the CyberQueer Lounge, an online resource for the gay community,
FidoNews 12-13                 Page:  9                    27 Mar 1995

the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF),
(Note the above DC-based EFF has no local chapters)
the Electronic Frontier Foundation-Austin (EFF-Austin),
the Electronic Frontiers Australia, (EFA)
the Electronic Frontiers Houston, (EFH)
the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC),
the Florida Coalition Against Censorship (FCAC),
the Hands Off! the Net petition drive,
the National Coalition Against Censorship, (NCAC)
the National Libertarian Party, (NLP),
the National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN),
the National Writers Union (UAW Local 1981 AFL-CIO), (NWU)
the People for the American Way (PFAW),
the Society for Electronic Access (SEA), and
the Voters Telecommunications Watch (VTW)

These organizations are using the Voters Telecommunications Watch (VTW)
as a conduit for legislative feedback.  When you contact Congress about the
Communications Decency Act and send your feedback to [email protected], that
information is being fed back to all participating organizations.

If your organization would like to sign on to this campaign and receive
legislative feedback, contact [email protected].  (Note the Fidonet and FTN
mailing directions below)

**********************************************************************

CONTENTS
What you can do
Introduction
Background
Current status of S. 314/H.R. 1004
Where can I learn more about the bill? (URL & Fidonet/FTN included)
Where will I learn about updates to this alert?
Current list of participating organizations

**********************************************************************

WHAT YOU CAN DO (IN ONLY TWO MINUTES)

1. Contact Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD, Commerce Committee Chairman),
  Sen. J.J. Exon (D-NE, sponsor of the bill), and Sen. Bob Packwood (R-OR,
  Chairman, Communications Subcommittee).

  Note: although contacting your own Senators is important, these
  members hold the keys at this point in time.  If you want to contact
  your own Senators, that's great, but between now and Thursday Pressler,
  Exon and Packwood are the ones to focus on.

  Time is of the essence: *Phone calls* are best, faxes only partially
  effective, email has the least impact.

     P ST Name and Address           Phone           Fax
     = == ========================   ==============  ==============
     R SD Pressler, Larry            1-202-224-5842  1-202-224-1259*
FidoNews 12-13                 Page: 10                    27 Mar 1995

           243 RSOB                    [email protected]
           Washington, D.C. 20510
           *Note this is the Senate Commercommittee's fax machine

     D NE Exon, J. J.                1-202-224-4224  1-202-224-5213
           528 HSOB
           Washington, D.C. 20510

     R OR Packwood, Robert           1-202-224-5244  1-202-228-3576
           259 RSOB
           Washington, D.C. 20510

  Urge them to keep S.314 from being incorporated into
  telecommunications reform legislation and to support Senator Leahy's
  efforts to explore alternatives to the Exon bill.  Follow the communique
  at the bottom if you need to.

2. Feel free to use the following communique:

  SAMPLE COMMUNIQUE

I'm a resident of _______.  Please support Senator Leahy's
efforts to explore alternatives to S. 314.  Please keep S. 314
out of the telecommunications reform bill, and remove S. 314
from the fast track.

   Thanks.

  See below for a brief description of Leahy's initiative. His letter
  to CDT is in the VTW gopher.

  Concern over S.314 is not limited to the U.S. Among many international
  expressions of support, two have stood out in the first two weeks.
  EF-Australia is a member of the growing coalition, and IndiaNet has
  circulated our alert widely. If you are not a citizen of the United States
  you can still express your concern. A sample message to Senator Pressler
  follows:

Dear Senator Pressler:

The Exon bill will cripple the U.S. portion of the Internet
and thereby devastate the growing global information community.
Internation commerce and social and political cooperation will
suffer greatly. I urge you to refrain from incorporating S.314
into any telecommunications reform legislation and to support
Senator's Leahy initiatives to explore alternatives to S314.

  Both US citizens and non-US citizens should remember to be polite
  when speaking to legislators, even their own.

3. DON'T FORGET TO DROP A NOTE TO [email protected] to tell us who you contacted.
  (See below for FTN -> Internet emailing instructions.)
  We'll tally the results and feed them back to all participating
  organizations.  It's crucial we have this feedback, even if you just
  got a form letter, or a "thank you" to your phone call.
FidoNews 12-13                 Page: 11                    27 Mar 1995


  Please, when you report back, tell us what state you are in!  This
  will help us track constituent calls, which are the most effective.

4. Feel good about yourself.  You've just participated in democracy
  without leaving your seat.

5. (Extra bonus activism)  Pass this alert to your friends, especially if
  they're in South Dakota, Nebraska, or Oregon.  These states need to
  have as much constituent contact with their Senators as possible.

  Also, you might send a thank-you note to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for
  his continuing efforts on behalf of free speech and the free flow of
  information in cyberspace.  He can be reached at:

     P ST Name and Address           Phone           Fax
     = == ========================   ==============  ==============
     D VT Leahy, Patrick J.          1-202-224-4242  1-202-224-3595
           433 RSOB                    [email protected]
           Washington, D.C. 20510

  Don't forget to Cc: [email protected] on your mail to him, so we can tally
  the response.

**********************************************************************

INTRODUCTION

Dear Net Citizens:

Legislation has been introduced before the Senate which would severely
restrict your freedom of speech, halt the free flow of information on
the net, and require all telecommunications carriers to censor your
public and private communications.

The "Communications Decency Act of 1995" (S. 314), introduced in early
February by Senators Exon (D-NE) and Gorton (R-WA), would place
substantial criminal liability on telecommunications carriers (including
traditional telephone networks, Internet service providers, commercial
online services such as America Online and Compuserve, and independent
BBS's) whenever their networks are used to transmit any material
which is deemed indecent or harassing.  In order to avoid these penalties,
carriers would be forced to restrict the activities of their subscribers
and censor all public and private communications.

We must act quickly to stop the progress of S. 314.  The bill may soon
be incorporated into Senate telecommunications reform legislation, which
is currently being drafted by the Senate Commerce Committee.  The
telecommunications reform bill may be introduced as early as mid March,
and is expected to be considered on a fast track.  If S. 314 is included
in this bill, it will be extremely difficult to change or remove and
could pass quickly.

We are asking you to join us in urging key members of the Senate to
prevent S. 314 from being included in Senate telecommunications reform
FidoNews 12-13                 Page: 12                    27 Mar 1995

measures and to hold open, public hearings on the issue.
From: Stanton McCandlish <[email protected]>

CURRENT STATUS OF S. 314/H.R. 1004

The bill was introduced on February 1, 1995 by Senators Exon (D-NE) and
Gorton (R-WA).  It is currently pending before the Senate Commerce
Committee (chaired by Senator Pressler (R-SD)).

No committee action has been scheduled as of March 9, 1995.

The telecommunications reform bill is scheduled for hearing starting
March 21, 1995.  It is possible that S. 314 will be folded into the
bill during markup next week.

H.R. 1004 (worded the same as S. 314) was introduced on February 21,
1995 in the House by Representative Johnson (SD) and has been referred
to the House Commerce and Judiciary committees.

No committee actions in the House have been scheduled as of March 17, 1995.

*********************************************************************

BACKGROUND

S. 314 would expand current law restricting indecency and harassment on
telephone services to all telecommunications providers and expand
criminal liability to all content carried by all forms of
telecommunications networks.  The bill would amend Section 223 of the
Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 223), which requires carriers to take
steps to prevent minors from gaining access to indecent audiotext and
criminalizes harassment accomplished over interstate telephone lines.

If enacted, S. 314 would compel service providers to severely restrict
your online activities.  Your access to email, discussion lists, usenet,
the world wide web, gopher, and ftp archives would be substantially
reduced or cut off entirely. The bill would also force providers to
closely monitor and pre-screen your electronic mail, and refuse to
transmit any message or other content which may be considered to be
indecent.

This bill poses a significant threat to freedom of speech and the free
flow of information in cyberspace. The bill also raises fundamental
questions about the right of government to control content on
communications networks, as well as the locus of liability for content
carried in these new communications media.

Recently, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has requested the Center for
Democracy and Technology's Public Interest/Industry working group IWG
(Interactive Working Group) to explore other solutions to the problems
that S. 314 attempts to solve.  The working group must be allowed to
examine current legislation and explore technical alternatives that are
consistent with the First Amendment and the free flow of information.

We've received over 400 messages in two weeks, with our log showing
FidoNews 12-13                 Page: 13                    27 Mar 1995

over 700 letters, faxes, phone calls, and email messages (many people
contacted more than one Senator. At least two respondents wrote all 19
members of the committee!)  Of course many more people have probably
contacted Congress without sending that note to VTW.

Almost 200 messages went to Pressler, who may be getting the point.
His staff told one caller, "Why are you calling us? It's Exon's bill!"
(This is why phone calls to Pressler are so important.)

One citizen wrote to Senator Gorton, a co-sponsor:
       "I, frankly, am amazed at the audacity of your proposed
        bill. We are not children sir, nor do we need your
        misplaced guidance in raising our children!"

Along the same lines, another wrote to his own Senator:
       "While I am pleased, being an enthusiastic supporter of
        anti-harassment legislation, with many of the provisions of
        this bill, I am frankly astounded and appalled with others."

Someone came up with metaphor that frankly we aren't clever enough to
have thought of:
       "A few years ago, a tanker laden with a crude, noxious substance
        ran aground in the virginal territories of the Alaskan coastline.
        It poisoned the land and sea for many miles around.... We are now
        faced with another 'Exon Valdez'...  a vehicle filled with crude
        legislation, currently at risk of running ashore on our pristine
        rights."

Finally, someone writing to Pressler spoke for all of us to all of us:
"At a time when communications between ordinary citizens has
        been all but drowned out by the barrage of mass media, online
        communication has become the last bastion of real citizen
        deliberation and has become the "public square" so to speak,
        of the nation.  This bill would destroy this great experiment
        in the rejuvenation of grassroots democracy.  Please do all
        you can to prevent its passage."

We are encouraged by the success so far of the campaign, and hope that
you take the time to participate at this crucial time.

********************************************************************

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BILL? (URL INCLUDED)

The Voters Telecommunications Watch has set up a gopher page where
you can get a copy of the bill (including analyses by the American
Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the
Electronic Messaging Association, and others).  Here's the URL:

WWW URL: gopher://gopher.panix.com/11/vtw/exon
Gopher command : gopher -p 1/vtw/exon gopher.panix.com

If you have difficulty getting to this gopher page, or if you don't
have access to Mosaic/gopher, drop a note to:

FidoNews 12-13                 Page: 14                    27 Mar 1995

[email protected]

BBS Network Users:

You can FREQ the files from the EFF BBS, 1:109/1108, 1-202-861-1224.
The "magicword" for a list of relevant files is S314.  You do NOT have to be
nodelisted to get the files, or in any particular network.  Just create a
dummy nodelist entry with our phone number if you need to do so.
Those in QWK nets or otherwise not able to File REQuest can download the
files manually from the BBS, in the ALERTS file area.  Feel free to login
as ANONYMOUS, password GUEST to bypass newuser questionnaires.

To send mail to [email protected] from FidoNet or other FTN systems, create a
netmail message to your local UUCP host.  Search the nodelist for the
GUUCP flag, and use the address of that system:

To: UUCP, [GUUCP system's address here.  "To:" name MUST be set to UUCP]
From: [you]
Subject: S.314
_________________________________________________________________________
To: [email protected]

[Message starts here on 3rd line.  The second "To:" line with the internet
email address MUST be the first line of the message body, and the blank
line following that is REQUIRED.  Mail will not be delivered by the gateways
without it.]

To email one of the Senators in the list above, just put the Senator's email
address in place of "[email protected]" in the above example.

If you are unsure whether your FTN has an Internet gateway, or suspect it
may use something other than a GUUCP nodelist flag, ask your network
coordinators.

**********************************************************************

WHERE WILL I LEARN ABOUT UPDATES TO THIS ALERT?

We will post updates to this alert in three places:

-On the account [email protected] (finger [email protected])
-On Usenet (comp.org.eff.talk, comp.org.cpsr.talk, and alt.privacy)
-Through our announcements mailing list, [email protected].

To subscribe, simply send a message to [email protected] with the
following in the message body:

 subscribe vtw-announce Firstname Lastname

*********************************************************************

CURRENT LIST OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

At this time, the following organizations have signed onto this
campaign and are receiving the legislative feedback that VTW is compiling:
FidoNews 12-13                 Page: 15                    27 Mar 1995


American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), [email protected]
American Communication Association  (ACA), [email protected]
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), [email protected]
Center for Public Representation (CPR), [email protected]
Computer Communicators Association (CCA), [email protected]
Computing Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR), [email protected]
CyberQueer Lounge, [email protected]
(Note that the DC-based EFF has no local chapters)
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), [email protected]
Electronic Frontier Foundation-Austin (EFF-Austin), [email protected]
Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA), [email protected]
Electronic Frontiers Houston (EFH), [email protected]
Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), [email protected]
Florida Coalition Against Censorship (FCAC), [email protected]
Hands Off! the Net petition drive, [email protected]
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), [email protected]
National Libertarian Party (NLP), [email protected]
National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN), [email protected]
National Writers Union (UAW Local 1981 AFL-CIO), [email protected]
People for the American Way (PFAW), [email protected]
Society for Electronic Access (SEA), [email protected]
Voters Telecommunications Watch (VTW), [email protected]

Note that the Voters Telecommunications Watch does not speak for these
organizations.  Any opinions contained herein are those of the author,
and not necessarily endorsed by participating organizations.

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

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------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------

Editors: Donald Tees, Sylvia Maxwell
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
                 Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar
                 Tom Jennings
"FidoNews" BBS
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more addresses:
   Rev. Richard Visage  -- 1:163/409
   Don  -- 1:221/192, [email protected]
   Sylvia -- 1:221/194, [email protected]
   Tim  -- [email protected]

(Postal Service mailing address)
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FidoNews 12-13                 Page: 16                    27 Mar 1995

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voice:  (519) 570-3137

Fidonews is published weekly by and for the members of the FIDONET
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ELECTRONIC MAIL system. It is a compilation
of individual articles contributed by their authors or their
authorized agents. The contribution of articles to this compilation
does not diminish the rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in
these articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of
FidoNews.

Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
Copyright 1995 Donald Tees. All rights reserved.  Duplication
and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use
in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or the eds.
Articles by Madam emilia may be retransmitted freely through
cyber-space.

OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue of FidoNews in electronic
form may be obtained from the FidoNews BBS via manual download or
Wazoo FileRequest, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet.
PRINTED COPIES may be obtained by sending SASE to the above paper-mail
address, or trade for copy of your 'zine.

INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.org,
in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews.

Anyone interested in getting a copy of the INTERNET GATEWAY FAQ may
freq GISFAQ.ZIP from 1:133/411.0, or send an internet message to
[email protected].  No message or text or subject is
necessary.  The address is a keyword that will trigger the automated
response.  People wishing to send inquiries directly to David Deitch
should now mail to [email protected] rather than the
previously listed address.

SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable
from 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". Please read it.

"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
trademarks of Tom Jennings, and are used with permission.

    "the pulse of the cursor is the heartbeat of fidonet"...
-- END
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