abusive e-mail from Litch

[PTM2792 at UTARLG.UTA.EDU]

Gee, I've never been reprimanded by a sysop before... 

Near as I can tell, I am faulted by several for posting "private" e-mail to the list.

My view is that if you put words in writing and send them to someone, you have 
no voice in what they do with those words.  They can publish them, destroy them,quote them, anything but sell them.  I feel that, be it e-mail or paper, I was
within my rights to take the action I did.  I would likewise have been within 
my rights to have had Senator Byrd read those notes into the Congressional 
Record as a part of his filibuster.

My purpose was simple.  The sort of effect such e-mail has on people is a 
"chilling effect" on their participation.  If someone is allowed to send
such notes in secret to individuals, each thinks that he is alone, and the
sender can terrorize them one by one.  What I did was to shine a light on an
activity that wants darkness for its effect.  Taking such a responsibility
on myself is never pleasant, but just as on the occasion when I challenged
someone over an insult to a lady, I felt that what I did was the appropriate
action for a knight to take.  The reaction has been mixed, obviously, but I
would do it again.

I don't believe that there has been a "lynch mob" on this list.  Those who
has suggested otherwise are asked to re-examine their remarks on how mild
Litch's notes allegedly were.

I have a sincere desire to get along with the people on this list; including
Mordraut, who is all but a brother to me, including Pug, even including Litch.
But in my life I have had occasion to learn that "getting along with" is not
synonymous with "passively accepting abuse from".

I believe that my conduct has been appropriate for the circumstances.  For
any inconvenience to anyone, and specifically to Mr. Litchfield, from the
length of my lines of type, I apologize; I shall endeavor to do better.
Given similar circumstances, I expect I would react similarly.  If this 
makes me an unacceptable subscriber to this list, in Pug's estimation,
he may unsubscribe me. I support his right to do this.

I remain,

Viscount Galen of Bristol
"Noblesse Oblige"