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To: jbe who wrote (9468)	10/26/1999 10:57:00 AM
From: jlallen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 32873

Guess that depends on how one defines "obscene", "harassing", etc.? To some, the truth qualifies as such. JLA

To: jbe who wrote (9468)	10/26/1999 11:12:00 AM
From: WTMHouston	Respond to of 32873

Of course, the TOU are a form of censorship, just as prohibitions of yelling fire in a theater are a form of censorship. They are both, basically, time, place and manner restrictions. However, in SI's case, they are as much tools for ensuring the continued commercial viability of its business as anything else. If SI did not care about whether they made money, then I doubt they would care much what people had to say or how they said it. But they do, so they do. The real problem is not the TOU but their interpretation and the punishments for violating them. These are the same kinds of problems faced by courts with interpreting the First Amendment and government time, place, and manner restrictions on "free" speech. Nothing will ever make everyone happy and something will always make someone unhappy. It is both the strength and weakness of the "free" part of speech and of the TOU. There is, however, a middle ground that will make the most number of people happy and the least number of people unhappy. It is for this balance that the TOU strive. SI should be commended for at least trying to find that balance. They are not perfect and it is unreasonable for any of us to expect perfection. Personally, I hope that they end up with some kind of community review or appeal process for some, if not all, TOU violations. Troy