Principalities, Opinions, and Personal Attacks

[Aodhan Ite an Fhithich]

Dia duit!

Gunnora Hallakarva wrote in a message to All:

 GH> (5) The ansteorra at eden.com list is a mundane activity wherein SCA
 GH> topics are discussed.  Real world rules, including First Amendment
 GH> protection of free speech prevail in this type of forum.

Pardon me, Gunnora, but, hogwash.

The 1st Amendment applies *ONLY* to the Federal Government.  To quote (from my
on-line copy of the Constitution):

1st Amendment
        Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
        or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
        speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
        assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Nowhere does this say that private entities, be they individual citizens,
groups, or businesses, may not abridge free speech. Eden.com (the owners,
SysAdmins, and/or ListAdmins (Hi, Pug!)) are perfectly within their rights to
at any time and for any arbitrary reason demand that we discontinue any
discussion and/or toss us individually, severally, or collectivley off their
servers.  They own and administer the equipment that hosts this list and thus
have the right to determine how that equipment is used and by whom.

Baron Aodhan Ite an Fhithich, ML
Dobharchu Herald
(who is not a lawyer, nor does he portray one in a mystery play, but who *does*
get tired of people's repeated misinterpretation of plainly writ English.)