"ISDN Tariff Trick" -Reply

[mikebw@bilow.bilow.uu.ids.net (Mike Bilow)]

  SILKMALON wrote in a message to Mike Bilow:
  
   S> From: SILKMALON@aol.com
   S> To:   Multiple recipients of list <isdn@essential.org>
  
   S> it is one thing for mr. goldstein to have a disagreement 
   S> concenring technical matter, contracts, and regulatory policy. 
   S> it is entirely something else for anyone to use this forum to 
   S> engage in personal attacks, libel, and harrassment.
  
  You seem to be reading entirely different postings from Mr. Goldstein than I
  have been reading.  I certainly have seen no evidence on his part of
  discourtesy, let alone defamation and harassment.
  
   S> to allay mr. goldstein's worst fears, i am not an rboc nor do i 
   S> represent the interests of such an organization. my original 
   S> point, which seemd to go right by mr. goldstein, is that 
   S> companies like bbn need to be careful about representations in 
   S> about how they form contracts with service providers. i never 
   S> envisioned that fairly obvious comment would trigtger the 
   S> response i received from mr. goldstein.
  
  I think it is plainly obvious that Mr. Goldstein's opinions are his own, that
  he speaks from a substantial base of personal knowledge and experience, and
  that he has never represented his opinions as those of his employer nor of
  anyone else.  Further, Mr. Goldstein is an employee, not a slave, and is
  entitled to have opinions which are not necessarily those of his employer.
  
   S> mr. goldstein believes his isdn "trick" is within the
   S> confines of tariff and contract considerations. if so, then
   S> my question was answered. we can all move on. as he
   S> correctly noted, it's no secret -- never has been. 
  
  It is you who is, in my reading of this exchange, imparting illegality or
  impropriety to Mr. Goldstein.  It is you who is, in my opinion, doing this by
  stating that Mr. Goldstein and BBN "need to be careful" and that you have
  "forwarded [M]r. [G]oldstein's remarks to his corporate counsel."
  
   S> but, the obvious was not my point, although that subtlety 
   S> seemed lost on mr. goldstein. no matter.
  
   S> however, the fact that i raised this question does not give 
   S> bbn, its agent -- mr. goldstein, or anybody else for that 
   S> matter license to harrass or libel. certainly, free speech in 
   S> this society has long been limited by libel and slander 
   S> standards -- in fact, such restrictions are essential to free 
   S> speech. 
  
  Mr. Goldstein seems, in my opinion, to be telling you how it is.  If you have a
  problem with that, you can ignore him.
  
   S> mr. goldstein has the right to his opinions, and his 
   S> responsible for his own actions. in feely slapping bbn's name 
   S> to his comments, he draws in his employer. i'm not sure his 
   S> employer is aware or would agree. for this reason, i have 
   S> forwarded mr. goldstein's remarks to his corporate counsel, and 
   S> asked whether mr. goldstein's "style" and position is the 
   S> bbn's. as president of my technology firm, mr. goldstein has 
   S> gone some distance to convince me none of my company's offices 
   S> ever nationwide will ever do business with bbn when there are 
   S> other options.
  
  It is my opinion that your credibility as president of your own technology firm
  would be significantly enhanced if you:
  
  1. Posted using your real name instead of your AOL screen alias,
  
  2. Included a signature block explaining who you are, just as Mr. Goldstein has
  done consistently to openly identify himself, and
  
  3. Used capital letters where English usage requires them, as in proper names.
  
   S> i have also instructed mr. golstein on several occasions to 
   S> stop sending e-mail to me. he refuses, and now seems to be 
   S> extending his personal agenda. 
  
  You seem to be subscribed to the ISDN mailing list.  You therefore will receive
  a copy of each message posted to the list, whether authored by Mr. Goldstein or
  anyone else.  Your subscription to this list constitutes consent to receive its
  postings, and you may elect to unsubscribe at any time.  You certainly cannot
  claim a right to prevent Mr. Goldstein or anyone else from posting to this list
  simply because you don't like that person.
  
   S> if mr. goldstein is incapable of acting in the professional 
   S> manner one would expect from bbn in a forum such as this, then 
   S> i recommend certain guidelines be established for this forum.
  
  In my opinion, it is you who is hurling accusations with wild abandon from a
  pseudonymous mail account at AOL, and Mr. Goldstein who has acquitted himself
  in a courteous and professional manner at every turn despite your provocations.
  
   S> there are ways to debate and discuss issues freely without 
   S> dragging down the quality of the exchange done to the high 
   S> school level.
  
  I learned in high school how to use capital letters, too.
  
   S> if someone has a differing view to what i just wrote, i'd be 
   S> interested in discussing it.
  
  Actually, I'm not.
   
  -- Mike
  
  
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