* European Autonomy and Domestic Meddlers
Tom Jennings, 1:125/111
Jun 89

Since I see my name is getting dragged into this, I thought I'd
respond on the subject of Zone 2's autonomy, which is really an
issue of control.

First of all, no one need worry about trademark abuse; I am in
contact with all parties involved, and there is nothing to worry
about. Things will be settled to everyones benefit and
satisfaction. No further discussion is needed on this matter.

It is none of our business how Zone 2 (or any other zone) runs
their network(s), other than how they interface to us, just as it
is no business to net 125 how net XYZ runs theirs, unless it
somehow physically affects our operation. If they have different
criteria for joining a network, what business is it of ours? To
meddle ahead of time "in case they do something awful", is silly;
they are no more (or less) likely to do something stupid than we
in Zone 1 are. Europe is not just the U.S.-only-different; it is
a totally different environment, socially, technically, legally
and politically. Europe is none of our damn business. 

Zone 1 is not the police force of the world. Have we not learned
our lessons from other arenas? We do not "have" a unified world-wide network, nor is such a thing even desirable. What we do have
is a number of cooperative networks, that can cooperate in a
world-wide networking effort. This is a critical difference.

Unfortunately, meddlers and control freaks will not give up until
everything not exactly like themselves is squashed or controlled.
Or they are in turn removed. We have a growing bureaucracy in our
Zone 1 that wants to reorganize us from being a bottom-up
network, where sysops choose their net hosts and other /0's, and
determine how to run their own BBS, nets and lives, to one
(according to POLICY4) where the existing bureaucracy picks their
own region and net hosts. Bureaucrats always tell us, if they can
control this one more thing, then all the problems will be
solved.

Our network has never run smoothly, and I propose that it will
*never* run smoothly; this is good, not bad. It means we're
alive, only dead rigid bureaucracies are pure order. (Or pretend
they are.) Excessive order is not good for any organism. It
stifles creativity and free expression. Let's take a hint from
history, OK?