upon reading your letter i have decided that wbs is thoroughly rediculous. i have seen a number of offensive pictures in some of the chat rooms, but i haven't heard of anyone being banned...this doesn't mean that no one has been banned, but i think that you are right in thinking that they banned your handle for religious beleifs. i myself am christian, but i have an open mind about all religions...you obviously weren't trying to force your beliefs on anyone, so there is no reason for wbs to do anything like what they did...i don't really know where i'm going with this, but i just wanted you to know that i totally agree with you on the subject. david robinson >Received: from 132.198.103.81 by www.hotmail.com with HTTP; > Thu, 25 Sep 1997 13:38:45 PDT >X-Originating-IP: [132.198.103.81] >From: "kether poupon" >To: euriphides@hotmail.com >Cc: alicia.bluelight@mailexcite.com, sulliva5@idt.net, vancon@iclub.org, > moonscale@juno.com, thehighpriestess@hotmail.com, webmaster@bus.pp.se, > cain213@hotmail.com, freddy19@hotmail.com, fantomstranger@hotmail.com >>From: "kether poupon" >>To: sharrick@hotmail.co >>Cc: thx1138@eburg.com, aeshira@usa.net, sickboy@hotmail.com, >> meltdown103@hotmail.com, earthwizard@usa.net, >lordkentinal@rocketmail.com, >> CaillyBerra@aol.com, wolf_pack_8@hotmail.com >>>Received: (qmail 24417 invoked by uid 0); 24 Sep 1997 22:09:57 -0000 >>>Message-ID: <19970924220957.24416.qmail@hotmail.com> >>>Reived: from 132.198.103.83 by www.hotmail.com with HTTP; >>> Wed, 24 Sep 1997 15:09:17 PDT >>>X-Originating-IP: [132.198.103.83] >>>From: "kether poupon" >>>To: kiwi_@hotmail.com >>>Cc: gwynnalyn@aol.com, raven678@hotmail.com, Xgrrl_girl@hotmail.com, >>> munky1shaffer@hotmail.com, breelorum@hotmail.com, >>kerrpr@sprynet.obluemeaniehotmail.com, toreador-femme@mailexcite.com, >>> belgardp@terrier1.thomas.edu, luna-moon@usa.net, >>sharrick@hotm.hotmail >>> >>> the following link leads to a picture. i was sending this picture to a friend through a private message in a WBS chatroom, the Inn of the Weary Traveller. i then received notification from WBS that my handle had been blocked for noncompliance witht he rules in the sending of a "profane" picture. the picture is of a Wiccan ceremony. to me there is nothing profane about it. Wiccan ceremonies are often performed skyclad (nude) and no sex is involved. the woman in the center is representing the goddess, and the people around her are worshipping her spirit through the medium of the woman in the middle. Goddess worship is the focus of the Wiccan religion. is it any wonder a chatroom run by Christians would deem this picture obscene? I'm not going to go on an antiChrisitan tirade, because freedom of religion, tho an issue here, is not the primary one. the issue to me at stake is that my handle was blocked for posting this picture thru a PRIVATE MESSAGE mode. allegedly the PMs in the chat are not to be interecepted. obviously this is not the case. the issue here is that i have been illegally ousted, and that my privacy has been violated. what does all this mean to you? i'd like to hope some of you have enjoyed RPing with me. i set up the C orginally as a "joke" C, a deliberate zippy, but then found i could convey a few good things thru him. many of you know i have done suicide intervention IRL and i like to help people some of you have PMed with me and we've discussed problems you are having. i've tried to be supportive, and to give advice. since you would PM me your problems, i was keeping it all confidential. or so i thought. because if WBS can enter my PMs to lay judgement on me for my religion, what do they know about your personal lives? about the problems you've discussed with me and amongst yourselves, the little Csex rendevous? this is not just about me wanting to have my handle reinstated and be able to play again. this is about a violation of YOUR Constitutional rights as well. i'm the one got shafted this time. who'll be next? what i'd LIKE ye's to do is pass this letter on to everyone you know who uses WBS chat system. i'd like you to write them complaints about this incident. i'd like you to talk to anyone you know who is Wiccan, i'd like you to talk to anyone you know who has interest in the Freedom of Speech act and how it pertains to the Internet. i want you to not be afraid to do this. i'm having my lawyers contact WBS on this, and i'm notifying a number of Wiccan groups and the Civil Liberties union. if your handle is suspended for complaining about this, contact me with a copy of the letter WBS sends you. we don't have to let these people read the words we mean for each other. we don't need to have other people's morals imposed on us. think about it. peace love empathy, Kether Poupon. please address your complaints to WBS at review@wbs.net