From: Sean Roach <roach_s@alph.swosu.edu>
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 11:45:40 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: It's a great new year!  telemarketers and solicitors
Message-ID: <199701131945.LAA29089@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 11:06 PM 1/9/97 -0500, relia@juno.com wrote:
...
> You have the RIGHT to have negative
>information removed in many instances. My partner and I have put together
>an easy to read, easy to use manual that will explain your rights and may help
>you restore your credit to A+ status. Why pay an attorney $2,000 or some 
>credit counselor $500 or more to do exactly what you can do for yourself?
>
>For less than $15, you can help yourself to better credit. We'll give you
>all the tools you need and explain exactly what to do.
...
>You've probably seen other offers or similar credit repair packages that
>promise overnight results. Anyone who promises a quick overnight fix is
>*lying* to you. It takes time and perseverance to fix your bad credit. 
>But, it can be done!
...
>Don't get ripped off and don't take bad advice that encourages you to break
>the law! Our system WORKS! Our credit repair manual will show you step by
>step how to do it yourself - and it's not hard to do!
...
> We purchased a
>mailing list of folks who should be interested in various products that
>we produce, but mailing lists can be wrong, and we don't want to take your
>time again unnecessarily.  Thanks for your help!
>
I understand that freedom of speech is a basic right, and I understand the
nature of public discourse which is unhindered being more valuable, even if
the signal to noise ratio is higher.
I also subscribe to the idea that in a forum where only speech is possible,
a persons use of that speech is the representation of that person.  (Not
that it never is otherwise.)
What I'm trying to get at is, when does freedom of speech in a "speech only"
environment" become soliciting?  To me, though it is only my opinion, it
seems that a telemarketer wishing to offer wares to a group on a mailing
list should get permission from the lists maintainer.  I apologize if this
is already the case, as my accusations would be pointless.
To me, it seems to be a breach of conduct for a company to use a mailing
list that is not thier own as a mass mailing technique.
Again, these are only my personal opinions.