From: Hermit (virus@hermit.net)
Date: Sat Aug 23 2003 - 14:18:34 MDT
There are multiple arguments that can be made here.
Firstly that Disownment is a very rare action, taken only when over a long period of time a member has failed to conform with the community, has engaged in behaviour causing harm to the reputation or members of the community and when the "solid Virians" consider, by means of a vote, that the problems are intractable and irremedial. Such problems are not likely to resolve themselves with rapidity.
Secondly, the action of Disownment is to protect the CoV and its membership from harm. Having a history of some harm (or disownment would not have occured) we should be cautious about reintroducing a possible agent of harm.
Thirdly, we have other methods, e.g. Silencing, and will introduce further "graduations" of access as it becomes technically feasible, which will be further detailed and voted on in the near future, to deal with members who fail to adhere to the community standards (e.g. prosletyzing, list-flooding, engaging in apologetics or slander, etc), and so cause the community harm, but where the problems are not perceived as intractable or irremedial. Such members will not be Disowned and the periods may be as short as a few days or as long as several months.
Fourthly, Disownment disassociates the member being Disowned from the community. This is not a punishment or condemnation, but more like a "no fault" divorce issued for incompatiblity. The Disowned member is in a condition no different from any other non-member of the CoV except that we impose a delay on readmission to the community to prevent further harm to the community by reraising issues which should have been closed by the Disownment.
Fifthly, some harms are cured only by time. And where the harms are so deep that the community feels that Disownment is necessary, 6 months is not a long time.
That said, a vote has been established (http://virus.lucifer.com/bbs/index.php?board=;action=voteResults;idvote=36), to allow the community to establish the period in which a Disowned member should not be permitted to reapply for acceptance by the community.
Regards
Hermit
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