The Logic Off Topic list

On Tuesday, October 22, 2002, at 04:47 PM, Jeremy Martin wrote:

> The last poll is very inconclusive -- "yes" politics is only ahead
> of "no" politics by 3 votes, but 3 people unsubscribed on the second
> day of the big political thread who probably would have voted "no",
> so IMO it's still extremely even. After discussing this with the
> other admins, we've decided to let all of you vote on this issue to
> decide.
>
Jeremy

I think you are probably well intended, but I urge you to re-read the 
paragraph quoted above and reflect.

If you were a lawyer in court your supposition would be ruled out of 
order. For example you are asserting facts not in evidence, which is to 
say the opinions of people who did not vote, and who have not directly 
communicated their opinions to the list.

Worse than that: you are assuming that any "unknown" is in favor of 
moderation. This is not true. I can assert that quite easily: as your 
logs will show - I did not cast a vote, yet it is clear to you and 
everyone who reads the list that I am in favor of no moderation - where 
does that figure in your equation? It is every bit as  likely your 
departees just don't have time for the list right now - I have left and 
rejoined the LUG many times over the years - simply because for certain 
periods I have lost interest or had too heavy a workload to keep up.

I trust that you will understand that when someone like myself reads 
what you have written - certain bells start ringing - bells that sound 
suspiciously like Richard Nixon invoking the "silent majority" - or 
some other similar spin.

In any case a poll that shows maybe a dozen or so people interested in 
moderation out of a 600+ membership does not sound like a ringing 
endorsement to me.

More so now than at any other time - you should try to keep an open 
mind. Please don't try and twist the facts to support your obvious 
preconceptions.