Tyranny of a minority
Dear Colleagues, Several days ago I took exception to a rant by Elijah Wright (about Tim Beriers-Lee) on this list. As a result, I was flamed by Jeremy Hunsinger followed shortly by a request from Charles Ess to prove that I am who I say I am. I have been respectful, contributory and have broken no rules either implicit or explicit. Charles, Elijah, and Jeremy are on a hunt to purify the intellectual integrity of this list. They have accused me of being a pseudononymous personality and therefore in violation of the rules set up by the executive board of AOIR. As a matter of principal I am refusing to play their game. This is the only organization that I have ever been a part of that has "guilty until proven innocent" as a governance style. There are 1500 people who own this list. AOIR claims ownership but there are autocrats who rule this list as a whim of agreement or diagreement. I am doing a troject on people who have been labeled and pushished by expulsion from this list. The numbers point to the same 4 0r 5 people who are threated by anyone who challenges them. The new rules expressed by Matt Allen recently codify the power of a few people to remove you if you get out of line. They don't even have to give a reason. Trial by innuendo is the rule not the exception. This is an anathema to everything I believe is important in scholarship. The real reason that this is happening is that I have enjoyed an association with Reid Cornwell. http://tcfir.org I have made no secrete that I have been in contact with him. Hunsinger, Wright and Ess revile him because he challenges their authority. For me it is guilt by association. It is about 'power' pure and simple. I abhor tryrany in any form. I believe that this list is controled by intellectual tyrants. They do it with velvet words, but it is tryranny none the less. I have enjoyed my association with most of you. What are they afraid of? I am willing to fall on my sword for freedom of expression. Sam P.S. The written record in the archives is clear - judge for yourselves. Remember, "If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem." None of you are safe from their judgement. --------------------------------- Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited.
I think the simple question : who are you does not deserve such an answer. There is no witch hunt here. In all academic exchange you present yourself. Some people hint to their position, other say what they have done and published in research. So, this has nothing to do with an authoritarian governance. Cheers Frank Sam Tilden wrote:
Dear Colleagues,
Several days ago I took exception to a rant by Elijah Wright (about Tim Beriers-Lee) on this list. As a result, I was flamed by Jeremy Hunsinger followed shortly by a request from Charles Ess to prove that I am who I say I am.
I have been respectful, contributory and have broken no rules either implicit or explicit.
Charles, Elijah, and Jeremy are on a hunt to purify the intellectual integrity of this list. They have accused me of being a pseudononymous personality and therefore in violation of the rules set up by the executive board of AOIR.
As a matter of principal I am refusing to play their game.
This is the only organization that I have ever been a part of that has "guilty until proven innocent" as a governance style.
There are 1500 people who own this list. AOIR claims ownership but there are autocrats who rule this list as a whim of agreement or diagreement.
I am doing a troject on people who have been labeled and pushished by expulsion from this list. The numbers point to the same 4 0r 5 people who are threated by anyone who challenges them.
The new rules expressed by Matt Allen recently codify the power of a few people to remove you if you get out of line. They don't even have to give a reason. Trial by innuendo is the rule not the exception. This is an anathema to everything I believe is important in scholarship.
The real reason that this is happening is that I have enjoyed an association with Reid Cornwell. http://tcfir.org I have made no secrete that I have been in contact with him. Hunsinger, Wright and Ess revile him because he challenges their authority. For me it is guilt by association. It is about 'power' pure and simple.
I abhor tryrany in any form. I believe that this list is controled by intellectual tyrants. They do it with velvet words, but it is tryranny none the less. I have enjoyed my association with most of you.
What are they afraid of?
I am willing to fall on my sword for freedom of expression.
Sam
P.S. The written record in the archives is clear - judge for yourselves. Remember, "If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem." None of you are safe from their judgement.
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In your view, how should the list be managed? I feel as though you are accusing me of colluding with tyrants (although I don't agree with this characterisation of my colleagues list members), but I am not really sure about what alternatives you propose. I also think many are deterred from interacting with you on this matter (not on academic matters, where as far as I recall the discussions have been productive) for fear that you will label them - it goes both ways, in other words. Elizabeth On 9 Nov 2006, at 18:48, Sam Tilden wrote: <snip>
There are 1500 people who own this list. AOIR claims ownership but there are autocrats who rule this list as a whim of agreement or diagreement. <snip>
I abhor tryrany in any form. I believe that this list is controled by intellectual tyrants. They do it with velvet words, but it is tryranny none the less. I have enjoyed my association with most of you.
Elizabeth Van Couvering PhD Student Department of Media & Communications London School of Economics and Political Science http://personal.lse.ac.uk/vancouve/ e.j.van-couvering@lse.ac.uk
Just a quick reminder that the Executive Committee is elected by the membership. Any member is welcome to run. Nancy
participants (4)
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Elizabeth Van Couvering -
Frank Thomas -
Nancy Baym -
Sam Tilden