Open letter to Durova and anyone else it may concern, Dilution of the term "harassment" is offensive Options

[Anna]

Dear Durova and anyone else who thinks that the mere act of sending unwanted e-mails constitutes "harassment",

This is in reference to the information published here:
http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=34354

If I understand correctly, you (that is to say, Durova and possibly others), believe that sending unwanted e-mails constitutes "harassment", even when those e-mails are on the topic of a public action you took, and contain nothing obscene, threatening, sexist, racist, classist, homophobic, ablist, etc.?

If that is the case, I am greatly offended, as a person who has known many who have experienced real harassment.

Harassment is when people threaten to kill, recklessly endanger, or do violence unto you, for any reason. Harassment is when the police threaten to take away a lady's wheelchair because she "refuses" to get on a sidewalk that lacks a wheelchair access point. Harassment is when a clerk calls a customer a terrorist because her breathing equipment obscures part of her face and refuses to provide customer service. Harassment is when a man throws a rock through the window of a woman who rejected him. (It is also vandalism.) Harassment is when a group of people call a black man the n-word repeatedly and throw things at him or kick him. (It is also assault and battery.) Harassment some druggie decides to attack someone for no reason that would make sense to a typical non-druggie. Harassment is when a man gropes at a woman he is not in a relationship with, especially if she has clearly indicated that this is unwelcome. Harassment is when someone keeps waking you up in the middle of the night, e.g. by banging on the door at 4AM in the morning, especially after being told that this is unwelcome. (It might also be trespassing.)

You, ladies and gentlemen, do not sound as though you have ever experienced anything vaguely resembling harassment, or you would not dilute the term so offensively. And if you have, well, you know what they say about crying wolf.

Emails of non-threatening, non-derogatory protest are not harassment. If it were, Change.org and other petition sites like it would be shut down. In fact, e-mails of non-threatening, non-derogatory protest are free speech. It could be classified as annoying, but being annoying isn't a crime.

There are, of course, simple ways to avoid reading e-mails which annoy you. You could, for example, use a filter. You could delete the annoying e-mails unopened. Many people keep separate e-mail accounts for friends and for public matters.

Yours truly,
Anna

P.S. To readers who are concerned about being falsely accused of harassment, racism, sexism, etc., on the basis of private e-mails, the best way to avoid it is to communicate publicly with people you don't know personally, especially on any remotely controversial topic. For example, you may observe that I am posting this letter publicly, for the world to see, rather than e-mailing it to anyone privately. This can help avoid he-said she-said arguments.

[Anna]

I get unwanted e-mails too. I delete them. It isn't a big deal.

I don't really expect her to care, but the word is overused. If people are going to go around throwing the word "harassment" left and right to shut people up, they shouldn't be surprised at arousing the ire of the anti-censorship crowd. On the other hand, there is such a thing as actual harassment, and it dilutes the word to misuse it so.

If sending unwanted e-mails is "harassment", then signing petitions on websites like Change.org is presumably illegal.

I like signing petitions. I think it's activism, not harassment. I'm not clear on what the guy in question was protesting about, but as an activist, it behooves me to support free speech.

[lilburne]

If sending unwanted e-mails is "harassment", then signing petitions on websites like Change.org is presumably illegal.

I like signing petitions. I think it's activism, not harassment. I'm not clear on what the guy in question was protesting about, but as an activist, it behooves me to support free speech.

Its not illegal because just like voting it doesn't fundamentally change anything.

Petitions and elections, they just give the impression of change. Millions signed petitions against the Iraq war did it stop it? Nope. Millions sign petitions in favour of nuclear disarmament are we disarmed? Nope. Millions vote for a Labour government do we get socialist policies? Nope.

Burnin 'n lootin that is the only language they understand.




This post has been edited by lilburne: