[ale] Big Brother Wins, We lose... From /. Real-ID Passes U.S. Senate 100-0

[Jerald Sheets]

This argument fits very neatly into our separate and individual  
lives.  It is very pertinent to our collective IT orientations, and  
subsequently our civil liberties allowing us to converse freely on  
said forum.

If you recall, I have been in favor of splitting the list in the  
past, and I have been the one shouted down.

This is a greater problem, illustrated by your desire for the rest of  
us to change the way we've communicated on this list for quite a few  
years for your personal comfort.  This list is full of people who  
know each other, and help (or not) each other on a nearly daily  
basis.  The odd occurrence of a topic not directly (although  
indirectly) related to our separate individual careers is a welcome  
relief to many of us.

It has been brought up on this list time and time again, and the  
moderators choose to continue the current format.  I, for one, fully  
intend to a) engage in the conversation of the day and b) not gripe  
and moan about it.

You see, this driver's license issue closely resembles this very  
argument.  We have a set of rules of procedure and decorum in place  
both on this list and in the Personal Identification arenas.  No new  
rules were necessary for personal Identification were necessary.  A  
Drivers license + a passport goes a long way toward achieving the  
desired result.  No new rules in this forum are necessary much in the  
same way that no new national ID rules are necessary.

We have quite a few laws on the books that go unenforced.  Among them  
are gun laws, immigration laws, and yes..  identity laws.

If the local authorities wouldn't give licenses to illegals (a  
measure *NOT* provided for in this action...in fact Illegals will  
still obtain a Driver's license today as they have in the past) and  
the border patrol would be allowed to actually enforce their charged  
laws, much of this would be moot.

Also, if persons on this list wish to discuss various topics, who am  
I to judge the validity of the argument?  You know what I do?  I  
ignore the thread.


Why should we step on the liberties of everyone else here for the  
convenience of a few?

And...  if you can't take lighthearted ribbing, this isn't the  list  
for you either.  We all take a good jab at each others' expense from  
time to time, and take it in stride.  Why should one person be  
treated so differently?  In fact, your largest problem was in a post  
stating my agreement with your opinion...odd that...

This list has never been a moderated/Linux-issues-only list.  In  
fact, I joined it precisely for that reason.  So, would a change  
satisfy more people, or would it alienate those who joined and like  
it just the way it is?

My suggestion was to split into [ale] [ale-chat] [ale-jobs], and it  
was discussed.  The moderators and the membership decided this was  
not desirable (for reasons that escape me now).  I've chosen to live  
with it, as I'd rather be a functioning part of the existing  
community than morphing it into my personal satisfaction hole.  This  
is also known as democracy...something that was a bit ignored in the  
ratification of this new ID law.


Love each other or hate each other, we've got quite a highly skilled  
group of people here that get along quite well, even on heated topics  
such as these.  What say we keep it that way?







On May 11, 2005, at 5:04 PM, Mike Murphy wrote:

> Thanks, I can unsubscribe myself if I choose to do so.
>
> Discussion of politics seems to lead to nothing but ad-hominem  
> attacks (see "ASSume" comment in slightly earlier email). I just  
> don't think that's productive, and I know its not inclusive. As the  
> saying goes: never discuss politics or religion in polite company.
>
> I guess the blood is in the water now. If you guys want to shout me  
> down, and burn bandwidth on this, go nuts. Or maybe someone should  
> just invoke Godwin's law and end this now? If I want to watch (and  
> participate in) a flame war over partisan politics, I'm sure I can  
> find that elsewhere, but a quality local Linux resource such as  
> this is a bit harder to find.
>
> I wonder (or maybe worry is the better word) that this stuff is  
> going to drive people off in droves if it continues, and deter new  
> folks from speaking up. If that's the way you guys want it, proceed.
>
> Mike
>
>
> Jerald Sheets wrote:
>
>> On May 11, 2005, at 11:52 AM, Mike Murphy wrote:
>>
>>> I re-second prior suggestions of an ALE-POLITICS list for this   
>>> stuff to go on.
>>>
>>>
>> As has been said quite a few times...
>> This is a general email list on matters concerning Linux users.
>> This legislation will affect everyone in the country, and is a   
>> pertinent topic for this list.
>> Like they say on the N. Va LUG...  If you don't like it, I'm sure  
>> we  can have someone make the list disappear for you.
>> --j
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ale mailing list
>> Ale at ale.org
>> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>
>
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Jerald M. Sheets jr.
Sr. UNIX Systems Administrator
McKesson, Inc.
404.293.8762