John Lee wrote:
On 5/7/07, Ray Saintonge saintonge@telus.net wrote:
daniwo59@aol.com wrote:
I realize that it cannot be taken out of mailboxes once it was delivered. I
wonder whether it cannot be removed from our own records, such as the May 2007
archive.
Certain governments have been known to re-write history to ensure political correctness in the public. I shudder at the thought of where such a slippery slope would lead us.
Er...there is a difference between what is politically correct and what is legally permissible.
The point is that the mail archives are a rcord of what was actually said, and that is a fact in its own right. Even accepting the allegation that posting the key was in someway illegal, doesn't change the fact that it was posted. If it is illegal the responsibility for posting it remains with the person who posted it. When we allow those in power get to decide what is or is not legal we abdicate our right to be responsible for our own actions. This is not far removed from being able to remove libellous comments by those in power from the historical record - cleaning up the record, as it were.
I have not knowingly transmitted the key in question, but it would not be illegal for me to do so.in an e-mail. (I am in Canada where similar provisions have been proposed in Parliament, but have not yet been passed.)
It is implicit to going on line that we accept responsibility6 for what we say in accordance with the laws where we live. If what I say is somehow legally impermissible, then fine, take whatever legal steps you want. It's not up to ISPs to babysit my activities; that would be imposing political correctness.
Ec