Date: 5 Feb 1996 20:22:06 -0500
From: dawson@world.std.com
Subject: Re: Confused

Your confusion is understandable and I more-or-less consciously chose to
risk it with this issue. While researching and writing the lead piece I
became aware that it might be impenetrable or at least daunting to non-US
citizens. I weighed taking the time for a fuller treatment, with more
background material for offshore readers; but in the end the urge for
timeliness won the day.

Let me try to clear the fog a little.

> Are you saying, American discussion or display of abortion or related
> stuff will become illegal, because of some act or court case just passed?

Yes, exactly that. It will be illegal to discuss abortion in certain contexts
over any network -- discussion which would be protected in other media such
as telephone or post -- until and unless the US courts invalidate this piece
of the telecomms reform bill, just passed by large majorities of both houses
of Congress and soon to be signed (we expect and fear) by the President, after
which it will become the law of the land.

> I am a bit confused by the start of your article which broadly states
> virtually anything on the Internet could cost the Internet publisher
> $250000 in fines.

Virtually anything deemed "indecent" could land the originator or the
publisher or the ISP in a heap o' trouble. "Indecent" is a vague term
and is not exactly defined in US court precedent. Before the bill emerged
the cyberliberties lobby mounted a valiant and utterly futile effort to
get the "indecent" language replaced by "harmful to minors" (it's easy to
forget now that this all started in the hysteria over cyberporn). The
phrase "harmful to minors" is, it turns out, quite well supported by
judicial opinion, and would have done the Internet no harm, compared to
the bill that was ultimately passed.

> Also, what does the Bible belt bit in your title have to do with the
> article? Were these senators trying to quote the bible when this got
> pushed through, or what?
>
> *slightly confused*

Sorry, too colloquial by half. If I tend to forget that TBTF now goes to 23
countries outside the US I'm sure you all will remind me! The "Bible Belt"
is American slang for a geographical region in the country's midsection that
is characterized by a predominance of fundamentalist-type Christian sects.
You know you're in the Bible Belt when, in driving cross-country, you can't
find anything on the radio but on-air evangalists, country/western music,
and red-blooded American conservative news commentators. "Bible-belt morality"
has the connotation of the strictist Biblical interpretation of proper be-
havior: no smoking, no drinking, no playing cards, no dancing. This country,
for one founded on religious tolerance, has the wierdest darn conflicts about
religious beliefs. Europeans too just don't get it: why are we making such a
fuss?

Hope this clears the mists somewhat.
______________________________________________________
Keith Dawson dawson@world.std.com dawson@atria.com
Layer of ash separates morning and evening milk.