[AAACE-NLA]NIFL listservs , free expression, and nonprofit organizations

[Hal Beder]

Thanks for the information Gail.  It seems to me that in a democracy we 
should know specifically who is making the decisions that affect our lives.  I

There is a difference between expressing opinion, sharing information and 
advocacy.  Advocacy entails exhortation to a particular action [e.g write 
your congressman today] while information sharing and expressing opinions 
don't.  I am not a lawyer but I do believe that sharing information and 
expressing opinions are guaranteed under the first amendment, and by 
filtering all messages with certain words our rights are being 
violated.  If NIFL screened all messages and filtered only those that were 
indeed advocacy, they might have a point.  The bottom line is that someone 
is offended by criticism and is exercising his power to restrict it and 
that's no way for a public servant to behave.