Re: cr> Censorship at Aberystwyth University

Aaron (aaron@burn.ucsd.edu)
Sun, 10 Nov 1996 01:58:51 -0700

Dear Mr. Perkins,
I received the message reproduced below concerning censorship allegedly
carried out by you and/or your office against a student at your university.
Is it really the case that you issued the ban against posting USENET
Articles because Mr. Williams use the phrase 'sod off'? If so, I'd like to
know what that phrase means when translated into American English?
Is it something like 'bug off'? Perhaps a little stronger like 'fuck
off'? Or even stronger, like 'fuck yourself'? If that is the case, then I
can understand why you'd be upset. After all such vile language as 'fuck
yourself' should only be used in exceptional circumstances, such as when
talking to a cop, a capitalist, a politician, or a censor, never to a
decent human being!
--Sincerely,
--Aaron <aaron@burn.ucsd.edu>

>Date: Sat, 9 Nov 1996 01:23:53 -0800
>Originator: cyber-rights@cpsr.org
>From: Cyber Rights <cyber-rights@Sunnyside.COM>
>To: "Multiple recipients of list cyber-rights@cpsr.org"
><listserv-reply-errors@snyside.sunnyside.com>
>Subject: cr> Censorship at Aberystwyth University
>X-Comment: CPSR Cyber Rights Working Group
>
>Sender: Jason Thomas Williams <jtw4@aber.ac.uk>
>
>I have been banned from posting USENET Articles for two months by my
>Univeristy - Aberystwyth University of Wales. They claim that I
>mentioned the word 'sod' in an article and this counts as an expletive
>yet the word has been shown to have zero offensive value in a poll by
>the British Broadcasting Standards Council.My case is made worse by
>the fact that someone who has been harrassing me for a year was
>informed of the ban before me and has used it to gloat and belittle
>me.The Computer Unit have also taken a week to ban people for using
>the word 'arse' whilst they banned me for using the term 'sod off' to
>someone who had been harrassing me for a year immeadiately. I have
>been involved in complaints with the Aberystwyth Computer Unit today
>and have met with rudeness and condescention one officla even said I
>needed counselling because of my complaint against the ban.This matter
>was brought up with the Students Union. I have had some support from
>groups and a Television Company ! wish to talk to me about this
>censorship but I need people to email the Aberystwyth compunit and
>register their disgust at this censorship and appaling double
>standards.The Networks manager is Mr Jermery Perkins and can be
>contacted at jwp@aber.ac.uk please email him and send me a copy.
>Thank you
>
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> Posted by Andrew Oram - cr-owner@cpsr.org - Moderator: CYBER-RIGHTS
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