Thursday, January 07, 2010

Richland West End Neighborhood Association bans listserv discussion of convention center

Convention center critic, Mike Peden, sent me a notice from a Richland West End association officer that expressly prohibits discussion of the Music City Center proposal:
In keeping with our policy, the RWENA Listserv monitors will take all necessary steps to remove and prevent future posts regarding the Convention Center issue. If neighbors wish to discuss this issue privately or in any other forum, they are welcome to do so, but not on the RWENA Listserv. The ROWENA BOD has not taken a position in the Convention Center discussions and debate of such topics is an inappropriate use of the RWENA Listserv.
Mike tells me that not only have discussions of other municipal issues been allowed, but the day after this ban notice went out, someone posted a messsage to the RWENA listserv encouraging members to "boycott" the petition requesting a referendum on the convention center proposal with the point "We need a new convention center".

I made a couple of attempts to contact RWENA leaders, including emailing their president. My attempts have gone unanswered so far. RWENA members are welcome to comment at Enclave on this issue. Maybe we can crowdsource what's going on at RWENA since I can't seem to get info from the leadership.

5 comments:

  1. What's going on is that the listserv is run by private individuals who can make the rules about what is being talked about on the listserv.

    Also, I would not automatically equate RWENA leaders, its president, or the neighborhood group with the listserv moderators/owners.

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  2. Mr. Peden simply posted a link. By all accounts, the reaction from RWENA was knee-jerk and will only discourage other neighbors from posting useful info for fear of public humiliation. What is and isn't allowed on the list serve is not clear to anyone and seems to be very selective at best.

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  3. This much is clear:

    In keeping with our policy, the RWENA Listserv monitors will take all necessary steps to remove and prevent future posts regarding the Convention Center issue. If neighbors wish to discuss this issue privately or in any other forum, they are welcome to do so, but not on the RWENA Listserv.

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  4. Too bad this wasn't put up before he posted the link!

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  5. RWENA is a geographical only Usenet group. The moderators will cross reference your address before allowing you into their private, gated community.

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