[clug] [OT] Broadband clangers

[Ben Nizette]

On 14/08/2010, at 11:11 AM, steve jenkin wrote:

> Sam Couter wrote on 13/08/10 2:22 PM:
>> Ben Nizette <bn at niasdigital.com> wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> 
>>> Well that's just the thing, a major part of RC relates to the
>>> incitement of violence or other indecent acts against others. Sure fewer
>>> than 99.99% of people who do see this stuff aren't going to act upon it
>>> but when one is too many, how do you make sure? Similar argument to gun
>>> laws..
>> 
>> Who says one is too many? I could ban cars based on the statement
>> that one death on the road is too many. Peanuts, going to the beach
>> or pool, bathrooms with hard surfaces, kitchens with sharp knives,
>> etc.
> 
> Sam/Ben,
> 
> Thanks for both your PoV and agreeing to debate, not slang off at each
> other. One of the great things I enjoy about the people who are this list.
> 
> For me, this post in particular suggests a question I've never heard in
> the 5+ years of this debate:
> 
> 	Given that there is deep passion in the community over this
> 	issue, just *how* do we (The Voters):
> 	- define the question,
> 	- debate the issue and
> 	- decide the issue?
> 
> The ALP/Conroy/FedGovt saying "we have a mandate for this" is flat-out
> wrong. [Proof is this thread.]
> 
> It makes this a partisan issue where the only stance available for the
> Conservatives (in this political climate) is "No, you're wrong", which
> serves nobody.
> 
> The EFA et al saying "It's a Bad Bad Thing" is similarly uninforming and
> doesn't take us towards a Solution, or even A Good Question...

Quite right, IMO this encapsulates a lot of what's wrong with the political climate at the moment which in turn is quite tightly linked to the current short media cycle.  The current massive inundation of (often exaggerated or sensationalised) news means that a) politicians are too scared of making a slip-up to campaign in any way aggressively and b) a whole bunch of misinformed people make the mistake of assuming they have the whole story because they watched Ten News /and/ A Current Affair.

While I write this I'm watching a debate on federalism on ABC News 24 and just heard a relevant quote:

"Democratic parliament struggles against the media of Infotainment we have today which so abuses it's power" - Michael Kirby (he went on to excuse his present company :)

> 
> The current approach is demonstrably not taking us (our community) to
> consensus or clarity.
> Debates like ours don't create much 'light' and usually a lot of 'heat'.
> Even if CLUG did come to a new, insightful understanding of the problem
> and its solution, what then?? Talk amongst ourselves and decry the
> partisan politics and outrageous lobbying of vested interests?

The idea is to call your local MP but of course they're all locked in to the party line, primarily by the above point.  Large petitions can sometimes be effective but unfortunately fairly rare..

Many pieces of major legislations have community consultation periods including the 'Net Filter.  In that particular case I went to the appropriate web site and found that indeed they had quite powerful means of commenting on the content of the policy but nothing regarding implementation or enforcement.  As I've mentioned in previous emails I believe it's mostly this second half which is the worst part.

> 
> How do we get this Democracy we call Home to come up with a decent
> process that leads to not just an adequate Solution, but a Great one?
> 
> A Solution that everyone can live with for 50 years...
> 
> Not Rhetoric, but a real question...
> CLUG isn't your average group or mug-punters, nor is Canberra 'just
> anywhere'. We could make a difference, should we choose.

Big question.  Good point.

> 
> [One young guy with a packet sniffer and a question changed the world of
> software with SAMBA... I'm not suggesting we *will* change this, but we
> might :-)]

and nice line :-)

	--Ben.

> 
> cheers
> steve
> 
> -- 
> Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
> 0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
> PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA
> 
> sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin
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