Posted by Todd (216.199.5.50) on May 03, 2000 at 20:39:14:
In Reply to: This site should be shut down! posted by D. Towne on May 03, 2000 at 03:13:42:
Hi D.Towne. My name is Todd and I wrote the New Visitors page to which you refer. I originally posted it here on the Message Board, but it got a rather overwhelming response and several people (myself not among them) suggested it be made a permanent part of the site. DJ agreed and posted the page you read.
DJ, Flash and several others have already explained its meaning, so I won't go into that. Rather, I'll address a few of your other points.
Sarcastic? Thanks. It was intended to be sarcastic, and a writer only succeeds when his intent is recognized by the reader.
I can't say whether or not I need sensitivity training, but neither can you based on the example you cite. Sarcasm is, by design, insensitive in nature. I'm truly unconcerned if I offended anyone who came here trying to find an illegal source for drugs...legal or otherwise. This was, in fact, my sole purpose for penning that paragraph.
To the best of my recollection, that page has been a part of this site for approximately 9 months. In that timespan, I would estimate that the number of new visitors who have come here at least equals, and probably exceeds, the number who visited prior to the New Visitor page being posted.
To the best of my recollection, yours is the FIRST and ONLY objection. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but you should recognize that it is one shared by no-one. If you deprive yourself of the benefits this site has to offer due to your startling over-reaction to a few sentences, you will lose out on much valuable information and tremendous support.
As far as the idea that 'this site needs to be shut down!', allow me to offer some insight into the First Amendment and the workings of the web.
DJ thought of this site, designed it, built it, maintains it and owns it. As long as he doesn't violate the terms of agreement with his host, no-one can 'take the site down', except DJ. Similarly, if he or I or you were to hire a billboard on the side of an extremely busy road and have this message placarded on it:
I hate all friggin XXXXXXXXX!!!!!
(insert the minority of your choice where the X's are)
no-one can legally have it removed. These are our First Amendment rights, and I'm thankful that I live in a society that has such rights.
I've seen a lot of websites that I truly feel are offensive, and in some cases obscene. I just take my own advice and click on the back button. My only right of censorship is to censor my own actions. If I don't like a site, I don't go back. If I were to argue that some amorphous governmental or other agency censor the things I don't like, I'd have to accept that same entity censoring me. That might lead to one individual having the ability to shut down a site treasured by many hundreds of thousands of others.
Finally, I want to thank you again for your comments. After considering your points all day, I have concluded that I am perfectly content with the original wording of the phrase you object to.
After I originally posted Advice to New Visitors, DJ asked if he would turn it into a page. I consented, in essence conveying my writing to DJ. It exists on his site, and he has the complete and sole authority to remove it, alter it or leave it as is.
KTSSU,
T