Re: the ASA email list

On 6/12/06, George Murphy <gmurphy@raex.com> wrote:
>
> Terry's statement, "Also, I don't see what's happening on the list these
> days to be particularly beneficial to the reputation of the ASA," is
> important. I recently got a post from someone in a 3d world country looking
> for some guidance in studying science & theology. In replying yesterday I
> thought of mentioning the ASA list, then reflected for a moment on some of
> the political harangues and fringe stuff & thought "Naah."
>

I'll second that from George. But when I complained about political
propaganda on the list from a certain enthusiastic Republican supporter, as
being irrelevant to Science/Faith, I got shouted down by a whole bunch of
other Republican sympathisers, and accused of being a Liberal. (Despite the
fact that in the UK I vote Conservative; I think a few of my British
typically ironic comments got misinterpreted). It'd be good if the list
could keep to topic, but I feel that excluding those of us who aren't paid
up ASA members is a bit exclusivist.

A better way to deal with political haranguers who insist on off-topic posts
is simply to ignore them - preferably by setting up an email filter so you
don't even have to read their stuff. If enough people did this rather than
responding to them and giving them attention, then the principle of Natural
Selection might indicate that such posts will die out. But if their threads
continue to burn with folks remonstrating with them, then equally Natural
Selection will ensure the survival of this kind of thing.

Iain
Received on Mon Jun 12 08:09:50 2006