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S i d e b a r
SISTER-L'S FAREWELL
By Margaret Susan Thompson
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RITAMARY and I have just gotten off the phone, and want all of you to know what actions we have taken in regard to recent disruptions on the list. We also want to provide you with some "history"-appropriate, we believe, for this list, and especially for relatively newer subscribers.
First, and most immediately, Ritamary set Terrye Newkirk to "nopost" a little while ago, in response to what seems to be the overwhelming sentiment of the board. This means that, while she is still receiving sister-l, she cannot continue to post to the list.
(Thus, if anyone wants to continue dialogue with her, we suggest it be done OFF LIST; her private e-mail address is tnewkirk@ix.netcom.com).
Second, Ritamary did this without formal consultation with the entire board AT THIS TIME, but we have been discussing the matter "on the board" for some time. Individual messages we have exchanged with board members over the past 24 hours, as well as some that have appeared on list (not to mention our longer-term board discussions), lead us to believe that the board will not be opposed to this decision. Now, for some background (this will be LONG), which will explain both why we have been concerned for some time-AND the actions we have been taking all along.
As a number of you know, Tom Fox of National Catholic Reporter published an article in Oct. 1994 on "Catholics in Cyberspace," in which he discussed a number of internet lists, and gave directions on how to subscribe to them. Many of you, I know, joined us at that time! As you now also know, Terrye is currently associate editor of a magazine called This Rock, edited by Karl Keating. Well, in the Nov. 1994 issue of TR (before Terrye was on staff, of course), Keating published an article called "How to be a public nuisance." In it, he essentially replicated Fox's list of internet lists, as well as the formal list descriptions for the lists involved (which Fox had printed), but "glossed" them with his own comments.
For example, he (correctly) described sister-l as being about the "history and contemporary concerns of women religious" (NB: not CATHOLIC women religious!), but added: ". . . which means the usual concerns of radical feminists." (NOTE: It should be noted that- unless he duplicitously subscribed under a false name-Keating had not then, nor has he since, been a sister-l subscriber.)
More importantly, especially now, in the same article in This Rock, Keating called upon his subscribers to get on lists like sister-l, in order-as his title suggested-to become a "public nuisance" on them.
Of course, he didn't put it that way; instead, he said: "You can counter the self-satisfaction of the heterodox for whom these lists are intended. This is a fine way to engage in long-distance apologetics." He continued: "If you engage in this cyberspace apostolate, please drop us a line and let us know how you fare. Inquiring minds want to know."
At that point, Ritamary, several sister-l'ers (including a couple of board members), and I sent private e-mail to Keating expressing our concerns. We received responses, and continued the conversation briefly, until its lack of productivity led us to drop it. I will not reproduce the correspondence here. BUT, if you are interested in seeing it, I suggest you get ahold of the Dec. 1994 issue of This Rock, in which Keating published nearly all of it (again, as with his first piece, "glossed" with smirky asides)- WITHOUT CONSULTATION OR PERMISSION. (NOTE: He published similarly private correspondence, again without permission, a couple of months later, involving Ingrid Shafer, sister-l member and co-listowner of "vatican2.") He identified our messages to him as "flames" (of which he seemed quite proud).
At that point, we decided simply to ignore what Keating had done.
Then, last winter, Terrye made her first appearance on our list, and was considered very disruptive by many at that time. Contrary to her assertion a couple of weeks ago, she was NOT kicked off the list (no one ever has been), but chose to unsubscribe.) Subsequently, in the Jan. 1996 issue of This Rock, it was announced that Terrye Newkirk had joined the staff as assoc. ed. (NOTE: TR is notoriously behind schedule in its appearance. Thus, that issue arrived in March or April.) Shortly thereafter, Terrye resubscribed to sister-l.
Within 48 hours, I notified the board of this conjuncture of facts. I also expressed concerns about the possibility that sister-l material might show up in This Rock, etc., as well as about Terrye's reasons for resubscribing. That is the point at which I also posted the copyright notice on the list. I did so only after talking with 2 attorneys specializing in communications law, by the way (I since have consulted with 2 additional attorneys). The board decided to "see what might happen (at that stage, Terrye had not yet posted anything to the list)," and to do nothing at that stage.
So, as you can see, we have not been idle. I, in particular, have been concerned about material from the list appearing in This Rock-and will not be at all surprised if this message ends up there! (For the record, I hereby ask that it NOT appear -and will consult again with my attorneys if it does.) Recent disruptions on sister-l have gotten progressively worse-culminating in yesterday's VERY unfortunate slur upon Anglicans, who are-of course -an integral part of this list, and have been from the outset! (Let me add to Ritamary's already-stated apology to all, especially our Anglican sisters and brothers, but also to all of us who were offended, for this unpleasant incident.) Hence our conversation of a little while ago, and our decision to explain all of this to all of you.
In a little while, Ritamary will be posting Karl Keating's e-mail address to the list, in case anyone wants to write to him directly. [If you DO write, remember his prior record of publishing such missives; you may want to attach a request not to publish, which he may or may not honor.)
I apologize for the length of this message. But Ritamary, the board, and I have always been extraordinarily moved and gratified by the sense of "collective ownership" that sister-l'ers have demonstrated over the nearly 2 years of our existence, and believe all of you have a right to know what has been going on. We had hoped it would not come to this-but, alas, it has. . . .
Believe me, we both appreciate and honor your concern, affirmation, and efforts. We share with you a desire to maintain sister-l as a place where people can be protected from insult and non-dialogic confrontation. We believe that the disruption has gone on long enough, and thus have acted-and now you know what we have been doing in the meantime. I hope this answers a lot of questions, and that all of you know how much Ritamary and I have valued the "place" this has become. May it continue!
Pax,
Peggy
Margaret Susan Thompson (msthomps@maxwell.syr.edu)
History Dept., 145 Eggers Hall, Syracuse Univ., Syracuse, NY 13244-1090
Phones: (315) 443-5552 or 443-2210 (wk/voice), 443-9082 (wk/fax) (315) 445-0637 (home: voice/fax)
[Editor's note: This message is reproduced as written, with italics added where appropriate and spelling errors corrected. All ellipses are the writer's.]
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