FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: FW: RE: FW: Virginia topics, please

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

With regards to the posts by Mr. Leigh and Mr. Otto, regarding the way Mr.
Mocko suspended posting privileges, I would like to make a few observations:

    (1)  Mr. Mocko's announcement that he had suspended the privileges was
not necessary.  I have been the owner and moderator for several state and
national birding list for more than 10 years.  While I have had to suspend
the privileges of several persons during that time period, I do not make
public announcements of suspensions.   That is like holding a public
flogging in the town square to intimidate the residents.  Why wouldn't some
VA-Bird subscribers feel threatened ?  Why wouldn't you read the screams of
pain ?

    (2)  I am not without bias because I was flogged for comments which this
list owner did not agree.

    (3)  Mr. Mocko owns this list (whatever ownership means other than the
right to suspend and flog).  If Mr. Mocko wants to remove your privileges
he can do that for a good reason, a bad reason or no reason at all.  It is
your responsibility as a subscriber to conform, reform and/or repent.

    (4) As the owner of the Tennessee list,  I simply asked the Tennessee
Ornithological Society to take ownership of TN-Birds and the board of
directors and officers now have oversight.  It was a complete surprise to
TOS that I made this request but I felt it was in the best interest of the
list to be fair and balanced.  The board voted unanimously to own the list,
provided I would remain as the moderator.  We have had no problems.

    (5)  tie me to the whipping post.

Let's go birding......

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cliff Otto" <317tcw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 2:07 AM
Subject: [va-bird] FW: RE: FW: Virginia topics, please


> Mr. William Leigh of Bridgewater has expressed his unhappiness upon
> learning that the list owner has unilaterally suspended posting
> privileges for two members who failed to heed his wishes that topics be
> limited to Virginia birding.
>
> Mr. Leigh also suggested that "subset of Va birders could
> have some voice in these decisions."
>
> I started to point out my own experiences in being a list owner for a
> national organization, but eventually realized that all I need to point
> out is that with the state of the web today, anyone who wants to discuss
> issues can easily start their own forum for free.
>
> However, I did find it necessary, at times, to suspend posting privileges
> for dues-paying members of my organization in order to keep the list
> operating as designed. The list I oversaw was research-oriented, and I
> had to suspend some for making up facts, but others because they wanted
> to argue about the politics of the organization. If you want to do that,
> then you move it to private email, set up your own forum, use an existing
> one set up for that purpose, or don't post.
>
> Mr. Mocko owns this list and he can do as he sees fit, and I applaud his
> efforts to keep things on the track.
>
> Clifford Otto
> Alexandria
> You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send
email to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send email to
> va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
>


You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email 
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.