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From: jl@fornax.uucp (JL)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: New Game: ASTROTIT Part 1 of 2
Message-ID: <344@fornax.uucp>
Date: Tue, 14-Jul-87 12:14:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: fornax.344
Posted: Tue Jul 14 12:14:57 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Jul-87 05:00:53 EDT
References: <3758@spool.WISC.EDU> <2749@ncoast.UUCP> <364@parcvax.Xerox.COM> <6653@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP> <3531@ecsvax.UUCP>
Distribution: comp
Organization: School of Computing Science, SFU, Burnaby, B.C. Canada
Lines: 100

> I posted some remarks about the posting of the above game and
> from the reponses some of you at least think that I am trying to
> censor it. Far from it. All I was trying to do is to point out
> that if this fell into the wrong hands there are laws under
> which the disseminators (no pun intended) of this program could
> be prosecuted.  Imagine, if as is entirely possible a child get's
> access to a public access computer and downloads it. "where did
> you get this" his parent asks. "Oh from the local XXS State
> University Computer" he says. 
> 
> All I am trying to do is to point out that operators of any public
> funded computer must be careful to observe the laws - no matter how
> stupid they think they are. The fact is, that by the terms of many
> State Laws this game would be considered obscene and corrupting the
                                *************************************

> morals of our children - and worse the transmission and storage and
  **********************       **************************************

> local access to this is funded by public money. Of course there are
  **********************************************

> worse things on TV every day - Irangate for example, and as somebody
> said kids are probably more worldy wise than we give them credit for.
> 
> I still say, keep this off the net, if you really want it there are
> plenty of other sources of gratification.


If ASTROTIT is to be considered obscene and corrupting the morals
of our children by some state laws then we should get busy and start
to change our laws.  Why waste public money on something that is so
tame?  Better to spend the money on something WORTHWHILE.  I can think
of many worthy causes; increased care for the elderly and better 
hospitals to name just two.

Besides, if a child "...get's access to a public access computer and
downloads it...", who's fault(?) is that?  Certainly NOT the operators
of the BBS!!!  It is the PARENTS fault(?)!!  (I have written   'fault(?)'
because I think it is rather silly to imply that there is any fault to
begin with.)

That child had to
     1.) Get access to the computer (if it was his/hers then the PARENTS
                                     permitted her/him to have it, 
                                     if it was the parents, then even more
                                     shame for not keeping it locked away
                                     if, for whatever strange reason, they
                                     don't want their child to have access
                                     to it).
     2.) Know how to use the computer.

     3.) Have access to the phone and permission to use it to call
                                     where ever they want (if they don't
                                     have permission to do so, then it is
                                     not the fault of the BBS operators
                                     but, rather, that of the PARENT again).
     4.) Know how to download files.

     5.) Know how to unencode them (I will agree to the point that they may
                                     not always be in encoded form.)

     6.) Know how to compile, link, etc or whatever needs to be done for 
                                     that particular program.

If the child could do all that, then there is strong reason to believe
that the 'child' is also capable of viewing something like ASTROTIT
without any worry about 'corrupting' them.  Besides which, a causal
effect between 'pornography' and 'corruption' (in the direction of
'pornography' causes 'corruption') has never been demonstrated.  On the
other hand there is evidence to the contrary.  Example one is countries
in Europe where the availability of erotic material is much greater than
here and the people are not running around like sex maniacs or whatever
you imagine would happen.  Example two is the people who act as the
censors for movies, books,...  Obviously, if 'pornography' -> 'corruption'
then these people, by virtue of the fact that they spend day after day
being exposed to this material, must be the MOST 'corrupted' people in
the entire world!!!  Having ample proof that this is NOT so, we are
led to doubt that any such causal relationship exists at all.

     I suppose what really bothers me most about this posting is that
once again it implies a total abrogation of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for
ones actions ( or those for whom we are supposedly responsible - ie a
child ).  This sounds so much like the stories about a child who finds
a gun in their parent's house either already loaded or with ammunition
right beside it.  The child then proceeds to play Rambo or whatever and
'accidently' shoots someone.  Who is blamed?  The parent who left the
weapon where the child could get? No, not usually.  Usually, it is the
gun itself or the laws that permit us to keep guns that are blamed.
Personal responsibility, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!!!   Where is it?
It is in YOUR hands.  Use it or remain silent when the results are not
what you want to see.

     As for the last comment about '...there are plenty of other sources
of gratification'.  If you don't want to read this then DON'T.  But
don't try to stop ME from reading it.  Keep YOUR nose out of MY
business!

-- 
Jay-El