🚀 go-pugleaf

On 29 Jun 1998 20:30:18 GMT, dragnet@internalysis.com (Marc
Bissonnette) wrote:

>Well, folks, here you have it. Dmytri Kleiner, an elected board member to the 
>Toronto Free-Net, is threatening extortion and blackmail if he doesn't get his 
>way. 

Do you really think this bullshit and bluster advances this issue any,
Marc, or do you get more satisfaction from attempting to slander me
*PERSONALY* then trying to stick to the point?

>YOU the members elected him, what do YOU think?

I agree with this line, I too call to the TFN membership to speak
there minds on this issue.

From what I have seen so far the only pro-cencorship voices are the
small group of board members seeking the power to silence others for
themselves. People that have frequently expressed a desire to control
the speech of others.

>The funny thing about it is, if Dmytri sues or causes harm to the TFN, he, 
>himself is liable for it. The Corporations Act of Canada clearly states this. 

My own security is not my primary concern here, I am acting with my
convictions and therefore believe that no harm will come to me.

I am secure in my belief that following your convictions is always
safer than abandoning them for security.

This may be a naive point of view, but it has served me well all my
life.

>Moreover, he is threatening to destroy an organization over an issue BECAUSE HE 
>DOESN'T WANT YOU, THE MEMBERS, TO VOTE ON IT. 

More bluster, Marc, your credibility is fading fast with these kinds
of patently inaccurate statements.

I am trying to prevent a small group of control freaks from taking
freedom of expression of the membership hostage by setting their up
their own little kangaroo court.

>This is nothing short of despicable and reprehensible.

Despicable, reprehensible... it's only a matter of time before Marc
calls me stinky and says I have the kooties.

Lynch mobs are despicable Marc, attempting to give yourself the power
to silence people is despicable Marc.

> I have seen some pretty 
>low things in my involvement with the TFN Board, hell, I've done a few things 
>I've certainly regretted afterwards, but ***NEVER*** have I witnessed such an 
>act of unmitigated cowardice and blatant threat of illegal action in my life. 

Geez, now I'm a coward too. Wow. I guess Marc's bag of mud to sling
isn't empty yet, one wonders if invective and incredulity is all he
has to offer or if he has a genuine point besides his own feet
stamping.

I remind Marc, that although I have stated my position clearly, I have
not personally attacked anyone, and although some of the ideas that
have been promoted are views that I find very offensive and vile, I
have made every effort to avoid mud slinging.

>While I have disagreed with some of my fellow board members over some issues, 
>sometimes quite loudly or (to my shame) rudely, I have *ALWAYS* been proud to 
>serve the community with my fellow board members, knowing that we're all doing 
>what is our perception of The Best Thing for the Freenet. Up until now, that 
>is. 

Follow up some the mud slinging with some self-congratulation, nice
touch. Four legs good. Two legs bad. Double plus good.

>It causes me genuine shame to admit to knowing Dmytri Kleiner. I would no more 
>want to admit to working with this cretin after this little publicity stunt 
>than I would with any other extortionist. 

Woops.. More mud still.

>I have suggested to Dmytri that he tender his resignation, as he is in direct 
>contravention of the Corporations Act which states that all board members must 
>work towards the Corporations best interests.

Now Marc's a legal expert. Thanks for the advice champ.

> Further to that, it would appear 
>as if Dmytri's sole purpose is the self-glorification of his uneducated and 
>misguided martyr act. 

My self-glorification? My martyr act? Funny coming from a guy who's
jumping up and down screaming "Extortion!" "Blackmail!" and patting
himself on the back with noises of moral judgements and pantomimed
disgust.

Please justify either statement.

I am acting on my beliefs, from a position of strength, not attempting
to gain sympathy for any kind of victimization.

Or am I off base by attempting to analyse what amounts to simply more
mud slinging?

>I would suggest any one else belonging to the TFN or having an interest in the 
>TFN who is opposed to extortion and blackmail suggest the same thing.

Extortion and blackmail are legal terms that do no apply here Marc, as
I'm not extorting or blackmailing.

I am simply stating my convictions and intent clearly and publicly.

As a side note, you have opened yourself up to a slander charge by
using these terms publicly. 

But not to worry, I have no interest in suing you and am not really
personally concerned about slander.

As usual, I will err on the side of freedom, even if it means giving
people the freedom to attempt to smear me.

>Dmytri, your actions disgust me. There is no lower form of life than he who 
>threatens illegal behaviour and measurable damage to an individual or 
>corporation simply because he does not get his way.

Yet more pompous blather.

The FreeNet is a community service with a resonsibility to uphold
freedom of speach and be a vangard of justice in the new media. It has
a very important role to play in the evaluation of a very important
new medium.

Therefore I always have, always do and always will take the precedents
that it sets very seriously as in the "big picture" these precedents
and ideals matter far more that the actual bureaucracy and technical
infrastructure that attempts to manifest them.

As I have stated many times now, *NO* TFN is far far better than a
cencorious TFN.

You can continue calling me names now.

Respectfully,
Dmytri Kleiner