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<DIV>Hi Will - </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I checked last night, and there are only 14 folks re-registered for the
@Baker mailing list. I am hesitant to try and recruit back until I know
everything is fully functional. I have a couple of emailing lists I can use
(from the 2000 reunion and my own class)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>While I appreciate your thinking - especially on civility, I would really
rather see this site confine itself to discussions of our school days,
ourselves, and the like. One of my other high schools (Augsburg Germany) has
such a rule, and I find it much more active and enjoyable(as was @Baker when the
topic was the good old days.) I can find all the jokes, political commentary,
sermons, etc I can handle in other places, but this is the only place I can
re-connect with Baker. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I know of a number who left @Baker, not because they were attacked, but
because they weren't interested in the off topic stuff. I don't know how
to resolve this difference in opinion, except <STRONG>maybe</STRONG> those
of us still interested to take a straw poll and if the majority feels the way I
do (or conversely the way you do) agree to a standard. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When we allow a few to determine the "tone", we alienate and drive away
many. I've found the "free speech" response to offensive content to be much like
the high school bully who says "what's the matter, can't take a joke" when his
bullying is anything but a joke. Freedom of speech should include the freedom to
set standards for a given forum.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I honestly think we would get a lot more people back and
participating if we published and adhered to a few rules, and not allow the
"freedom of speech" card to be played by folks who aren't interested in the
agreed to standards.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mike</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>