To all: What remains disturbing about where we are now at is that while many of us believe the discussion to have been 'won' on points by our friend Pluvia; I for one, do NOT believe that the issue is over; nor will it be over until a basis is established for keeping people or organizations like Westergaard from doing this again without justification.
We are beating our electronic breasts, some of us are howling at the moon, and going through a certain amount of self-congratulation....... Well, my friends, nothing has occurred to ensure this won't happen again, has it?
Here, we have a person who expressed his views and who showed apparently legitimate data to back up back some of those views up - and was attacked - his reputation perhaps damaged - and maybe libeled - in a new media environment (the Internet). With all due respect to all who have posted here and all who have lurked, I don't believe our opinions mean a hill of beans until such time that the courts affirm everybodys' rights - and - responsibilities in this medium.
Just as I have a responsibility to use my right to publish on the Internet wisely and avoid using that freedom to libel others, others have that same responsibility to me. The worst thing that could happen is for this controversy to go away (Sorry, all) My fondest hope is that the mainstream print and broadcast media pick up on this story and follow it. Perhaps, then, it will receive the attention it deserves. |
