Mr. Camara, thanks for the reminder and I wish to take this opportunity to
reiterate my support for the G_L List Management team. This was mature
gesture on your part, in the sense that you did not seek to single out any
one and apply your rules randomly and inconsistently. This is NOT one rule
for APRC supporters and another rule for Opposition supporters. I commend
you for that.

However, I notice a slight deviation from the rules you posted to me the
other day. Now, together with adjudicating complaints from other
subscribers, the management team is also going to punish "offensive
language". This was not part of the rules you sent us the other day. The
disciplinary process you sent us would have only been triggered had someone
complained to List Managers that he is offended by something that was
written on G_L. The previous rules (according to my reading) did not permit
List Management to unilaterally decide that some language is offensive and
then punish the author of the language. I hope you (List Managers)
appreciate this change in language between the rules you sent us previously
and these ones.

This is a very substantive change. Rather than just saying that "offensive
language" is not permitted (as you did previously), you have now put forth a
mechanism to deal with "offensive language". I have no problem with it. I
must warn List Management though that they are embarked on a very slippery
slope here. To apply this rule effectively, List Management must be very
clear as to what entails "offensive language". According to the dictionary I
use, a wide range of 'attacks' can fall into this category of "offensive
language". When List Management talk about "offensive language" do they
regard lies as more tolerable than some name-calling? Is it more tolerable
to lie about Karamba or Ebrima Ceesay or Saul Khan than to call Tombong
names? These are some of the thorny issues that List Management will have to
deal with. I trust that management will apply the rules consistently. I
respectfully counsel you to look up some of the words we use before you jump
to conclusions and start labeling certain language as offensive. I also hope
that management adopt an aggressive stance against lies and character
assassination of ordinary citizens that seek to highlight the murder and
mayhem back home. In my book, that is more offensive than what I see certain
List Managers complaining about.

I applaud List Management's attempt to stop the actions of one or two
renegade managers that jump on the Opposition each time Yaya's cronies are
given a dose of their own medicine. As I understand it, now instead of a
single manager acting alone, the whole management team will have to sign
onto any decision to admonish a subscriber. I hope List Management operates
democratically and treat everyone fairly.

You are assured of my full cooperation although I am somewhat uncomfortable
about the feasibility of List Management deciding what is "offensive
language" and what is not. I hope you will not take my observations as an
attempt to endorse or condone uncouth or vulgar language. I just do not
believe in any form of censorship; especially when we are working with very
fluid parameters.
KB


>From: Momodou Camara <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Message from Gambia-L Management
>Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 09:03:09 +0200
>
>Dear Members of Gambia-L:
>On behalf of the entire Gambia-l membership, a very big welcome to our
>newest
>subscribers!  We hope that you find the Bantaba a useful forum to discuss,
>debate and share information on and about The Gambia.
>
>We would like to take this opportunity to, again, inform all members that
>the
>Management is very much disturbed by the fact that name-calling, insults
>and
>personal attacks have lately replaced debate and discussion on the L. Some
>time
>back, rules of conduct on the L were developed to guide our exchanges.  On
>many
>occasions, these Gambia-L Rules were forwarded to remind subscribers about
>the
>expected rules of conduct, but the rules are too frequently ignored by
>some.
>This being the case, a decision was made to moderate repeated offenders who
>refused to respond to private mails requesting apologies to those offended.
>While subscription to GAMBIA-L is open, and free to all, it is conditional
>upon
>approval by designated list owners.  Subscribers are expected to maintain a
>mature and responsible tone in the contributions they send to the list.  It
>is
>hoped that our individual sense of responsibility, fairness, and decency,
>coupled with the community policing of the list will help prevent, and
>contain
>outbreaks of poor taste in our debates.
>
>Given that some members have failed to honour these principles despite many
>constant reminders, the Management has decided to take the following
>measures
>effective immediately:
>1. Anyone who writes offensive language on this forum will be sent a
>warning
>letter. If the individual repeats the same offence, he/she shall be removed
>from the List without warning.
>
>2. If a subscriber sends an e-mail addressing you and you feel that that
>particular mail is offensive to you, please do not hesitate to write to us
>at:
>[log in to unmask] and the Management shall review the
>contents and reply to your request as promptly as possible.
>
>  3.All responses to this mail must be sent to: GAMBIA-L-
>[log in to unmask]
>
>We are also appealing to current members to refrain from forwarding emails
>from
>un-listed members to Gambia-L and private mails too should be sent to
>intended
>persons and not to Gambia-l.
>
>Please do not expect individual List Manager responses. Once a reply is
>sent to
>the above address, it will reach the management team.
>
>Your cooperation would be highly appreciated, and we wish everyone the very
>best.
>
>
>Regards,
>Gambia-L Management
>
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