From: Arthur Rosene Area: RPSTOVAL To: Gerald Del Campo 16 Aug 92 18:06:46 Subject: book help, AC Collected Works UpdReq 93! I know where you can get vol.1 to 3 of Crowleys Collected_Works. Let me know if you need an address. Love is the Law, Love under Will Arthur Rosene 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Tony Pecoraro Area: RPSTOVAL To: All 15 Aug 92 20:40:00 Subject: BBS LIBERTY UpdReq BBS Liberty My freedom from restraints and freedom for self-expression have a legal as well as a philosophical basis. When such liberties vary according to time and place (BBS's) then these liberties may need to be defended against encroachment. In a free society, the free flow and exchange of ideas is essential to the stability, growth, and survival of the culture. If civil liberties are to extend into and encompass the growing world of telecommunications, as in BBSing, ECHOmail, conferencing, etc., then certain conditions regarded as necessary must be created to ensure these liberties and prevent their infringement so as to allow the users to develop their best talents. This is the cornerstone of a free, democratic society. Such ideals are not just something we read about in newspapers or hear stories about on TV and its nouveau investigative reporting; it very personally pertains to us as individuals: when we get accused of wrong-doing at our work place and are reprimanded without the opportunity for rebuttal; when a black man is refused an apartment in a white neighborhood because of his color; when a disabled person is denied employment because of disability; and when messages and posts on BBS's are censored and deleted because of they don't fall in line with system operator's view or understanding. When BBS's label echo systems such as *Politics*, *Fishing*, *Philosophy*, *Metaphysics*, *Firearms*, etc. (the list goes on & on), then they are "inviting" comments and soliciting interest. And many of those systems are open for public participation! Even in cases where there is private membership, discrimination is out of the question. These ECHOmail systems are in their infancy; unfortunately, so are many (not all) of the people who run them. The medium of telecommunications is growing rapidly: Every computer enthusiast who has a modem knows this. How this medium evolves over the next 20 years is very largely connected to the way it is being presently operated. As of this writing, I have had perhaps 72 hours of familiarity with this medium of networking Echo-systems, and the common thread I immediately came across in Echo that I have seen on regular (non-echo) for the last 8 years is this incessant growing habit of censoring, editing, and deleting messages based on personal edicts and whims of individuals who manage these systems. The process of gaining the same liberties on BBS's that we try to enjoy--and sometimes have to fight for--among the other facets of our social structure, are the joining of like-minded individuals to gain these inalienable privileges for themselves: private, individual users who wish to communicate freely and be self-expressive in an unimpeded manner. For example, one user is not allowed to express his religious dissatisfaction and spiritual emptiness on a "spiritual" Echo without a warning from the system moderator. Now if that message was in the "Recipe/Cookbook/Plumbing," etc., that's one thing of an extreme, but a message of spiritual dissatisfaction on a "spiritual" Echo? Well, come on, please!!! -=<< Part 2 of 2 Follows >>=- 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Tony Pecoraro Area: RPSTOVAL To: All 15 Aug 92 20:41:00 Subject: BBS LIBERTY UpdReq Part 2 of 2 Similarly, for the last eight years I have documented much controversy about the posting of Metaphysical/Spiritual/New Age essays on boards that claim to be active in this very arena simply because much of this material is not clearly understood my many (not all) of the moderators/operators, and yet my work in this area spans 10 years and is a direct result of interaction with BBS participants. There are numerous examples every day, on BBS's all over in L.A. (and to my dismay, on ECHOmail systems, too), where the censorship and deletion of messages and accounts is rampant and at the sole discretion of one system operator and his particular, personal views. Astonishingly, I recently received a letter from a sysop in L.A., and the title was: "Never Cross a SYSOP!" Now, what does that say? Really! This is in violation of the liberties of BBS users; it runs deep within the fabric of this rudimentary medium of tele- communications. It is an issue that won't go away. In the 8 years of BBSing, I have never paid for access to a BBS except for my first experience with a modem back in 1984; and when my mail was edited, deleted, along with numerous others, my first question was: "I should *pay* for this?" My belief is that BBS owners cannot get people (users) to pay (and even if they do, it is not for very long periods of time) because of this wide-spread and habitual lack of freedom and want of basic liberties. It behooves "System Operators" and the future designers of this medium to probe deeply into this matter--not only because of violation of liberties, but also because they wish to make this a "profitable" industry; and hopefully because computer users, whether sysops or not, marvel at the potential of this dynamic new medium of telecommunications. As usual, it will take a lot of time and a great deal of patience, but if this unchecked atrocity against the rights of users continues together with the expansion of the medium of telecommunications, I fully intend to seek legislation to prohibit, once and for all, this growing violation against the right for freedom of self-expression. --ALP, 8-15-92 (Book 24) 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Kevin Bold Area: RPSTOVAL To: Gerald Del Campo 16 Aug 92 19:48:06 Subject: Re: RPSTOVAL REVIEW UpdReq I'm sorry to see you're no longer publishing. Perhaps if you had out more notices about it in the Link, you would have gotten more subscribers. I'm glad you were solvent; I'm still publishing _Whiskey Rebellion Camp Newsletter_ on mainly out-of-pocket funds. But as the quality has improved, so will the number of subscribers increase. Anyone wanting a sample copy can send an SASE to Whiskey Rebellion Camp, 8 Market Square #131, PGH PA 15222. Subscriptions are $4.00/yr (quarterly). 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Kevin Bold Area: RPSTOVAL To: Gerald Del Campo 16 Aug 92 19:51:28 Subject: GARY "G.M. KELLY" MARTIN UpdReq I hear you were going to contact me regarding this 'local yokel' regarding the trouble he likes to cause O.T.O. and other Thelemic groups which he doesn't run. And if anyone else out there has any information on him which I may find helpful (I'm considering legal action against him for the slanders against O.T.O., Whiskey Rebellion Camp, and myself), please send it to me c/o the camp's maildrop (8 Market Square #131, PGH PA 15222). 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Gerald Del Campo Area: RPSTOVAL To: Arthur Rosene 17 Aug 92 18:04:40 Subject: Re: book help, AC Collected Works UpdReq In a message dated 16 Aug 92 18:06:46, Arthur Rosene wrote: AR> I know where you can get vol.1 to 3 of Crowleys Collected_Works. Let AR> me know if you need an address. Actually I have been told that they are available through Magickal Childe, so I will go through them, since I have an account with them. If you know of a used copy, however, I would be interested as this would probably save me a few bucks :) Thank you for your assistance :) Love is the Law. Gerald ... RPSTOVAL Oasis: Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Gerald Del Campo Area: RPSTOVAL To: Kevin Bold 17 Aug 92 18:06:40 Subject: Re: RPSTOVAL REVIEW UpdReq In a message dated 16 Aug 92 19:48:06, Kevin Bold wrote: KB> I'm sorry to see you're no longer publishing. Perhaps if you had out KB> more notices about it in the Link, you would have gotten more KB> subscribers. It wasn't discontinued because there was a lack of subscribers, but because I felt it didn't do what it was intended to do: to make people more politically aware and responsible. I guess there isn't much of a demand for political or ecological awareness in Thelemic circles. Love is the Law. Gerald ... RPSTOVAL Oasis: Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Gerald Del Campo Area: RPSTOVAL To: Kevin Bold 17 Aug 92 18:11:40 Subject: Re: GARY "G.M. KELLY" MARTIN UpdReq In a message dated 16 Aug 92 19:51:28, Kevin Bold wrote: KB> I hear you were going to contact me regarding this 'local yokel' KB> regarding the trouble he likes to cause O.T.O. and other Thelemic KB> groups which he doesn't run. And if anyone else out there has any KB> information on him which I may find helpful (I'm considering legal KB> action against him for the slanders against O.T.O., Whiskey KB> Rebellion Camp, and myself), please send it to me c/o the camp's KB> maildrop (8 Market Square #131, PGH PA 15222). Kevin, please send me some snail-mail regarding your problems with him. I thjink I may have to have some business dealings with him soon and would like to be properly armed. My address is: Gerald del Campo P.O. Box 1029 Ashland, OR 97520 ... RPSTOVAL Oasis: Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Gerald Del Campo Area: RPSTOVAL To: Tony Pecoraro 17 Aug 92 18:16:40 Subject: Re: BBS LIBERTY UpdReq In a message dated 15 Aug 92 20:40:00, Tony Pecoraro wrote: TP> This is the cornerstone of a free, democratic society. Such TP> ideals are not just something we read about in newspapers or hear TP> stories about on TV and its nouveau investigative reporting; it TP> very personally pertains to us as individuals: when we get TP> accused of wrong-doing at our work place and are reprimanded TP> without the opportunity for rebuttal; when a black man is refused TP> an apartment in a white neighborhood because of his color; when a TP> disabled person is denied employment because of disability; and TP> when messages and posts on BBS's are censored and deleted because TP> of they don't fall in line with system operator's view or TP> understanding. This is not like ly to occur on this BBS or the echo. TP> For example, one user is not allowed to express his religious TP> dissatisfaction and spiritual emptiness on a "spiritual" Echo TP> without a warning from the system moderator. Now if that message TP> was in the "Recipe/Cookbook/Plumbing," etc., that's one thing of TP> an extreme, but a message of spiritual dissatisfaction on a TP> "spiritual" Echo? Well, come on, please!!! Could you be more specific? Most of the people who run these echos (Thelema, RPSTOVAL, The Oasis, Man of Earth, etc) are Thelemites and have the ability to allow for great tolerance and diversity. Who did this to you and why? It would be beneficial to have both sides of the story. Love is the Law. Gerald ... RPSTOVAL Oasis: Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718 From: Gerald Del Campo Area: RPSTOVAL To: Tony Pecoraro 17 Aug 92 18:22:40 Subject: Re: BBS LIBERTY UpdReq In a message dated 15 Aug 92 20:41:00, Tony Pecoraro wrote: TP> This is in violation of the liberties of BBS users; it runs TP> deep within the fabric of this rudimentary medium of tele- TP> communications. It is an issue that won't go away. We must also examine the rights of the Sysop. These people go through a great deal of expense to provide us all with a medium of communication: in a way, everytime you log on you are in their house IN their computer. Surely they must have some say-so in the content and quality of the conversation. I will grant you it's a touchy subject. Love is the Law. Gerald ... RPSTOVAL Oasis: Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! 718499927771849992777184999277718499927771849992777184999277718