I've changed the subject line for this message and I hope the moderator of
this forum will let it stand even though it breaks the thread. I do not wish
to be associated in any way with the sentiments of those previous comments
about the management of this list. No doubt Jean-Claude will also wish to
dissociate himself from the new bedfellow he has unwittingly acquired.
All people respectful of the professional endeavours of Richard Poynder must
surely have shared my disgust at the tone and the content of SJI co-founder
Zinath Rehana's original post (linked to below). To level public accusations
of libel, harassment, intimidation and arrogance at a journalist whom many
of us know from personal experience to pursue his practice with skill,
balance, courtesy, respect and complete professionalism is rotten enough. To
resort to a smear of racism is well beyond the pale.
It would be even if there had been the slightest hint that any racism were
in play in Poynder's investigations. That there wasn't, and that he was
going about his business employing his usual rigorous, professional
standards, makes it all the more disgraceful.
This list is no place for such histrionics and dirty play and I register my
full support for the moderator for making a judgment not to post a message
that was way past the point of decency and respectful argument and which
appears (to my non-legal eye) to have strayed into libellous territory.
Posting such a message would have been a bad decision.
Alma Swan
Key perspectives Ltd
Truro, UK
On 03/10/2008 01:18, "Stevan Harnad" <amsciforum_at_GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> Rehana is absolutely right. I did not approve for posting on the
> American Scientist Open Access Forum Rehana's posting entitled "Lies,
> fear and smear campaigns against SJI and other OA journals" because it
> was my judgment as moderator that the posting was libelous and
> defamatory. I stand by that judgment. The curious may see the posting
> in question at:
>
> https://arl.org/lists/sparc-oaforum/Message/4526.html
>
> See also:
>
> "OA Needs Open Evidence, Not Anonymous Innuendo"
> http://openaccess.eprints.org/index.php?/archives/455-guid.html
>
> I invite the Forum to let me know whether they would prefer a
> moderator who allows such postings. If so, I will obligingly end my
> 10-year tenure as moderator of the American Scientist Open Access
> Forum, as I would under no circumstance moderate a Forum that allowed
> such postings.
>
> Be advised, though, that this Forum has about 1000 members, and to be
> voted down as moderator, I would expect to hear from a plurality of
> the members, not just from the inevitable disgruntled few.
>
> I am, however, quite ready to step down, if that is the prevailing wish.
>
> Stevan Harnad
>
> On Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 12:44 PM, Rehana <info_at_scientificjournals.org> wrote:
>> Jean-Claude Guédon is absolutely right! This is not the first time the
>> moderator of AMERICAN-SCIENTIST-OPEN-ACCESS-FORUM has resorted to
>> censorship. He has censored our response to misinformation posted by someone
>> on the forum.
>>
>> It is really sad that a forum that is set up to promote open access, is
>> resorting to censorship. I am copying this message to Jean-Claude Guédon so
>> that this message is not censored by the moderator. Jean-Claude Guédon has
>> my permission to include this message in his post as another example of
>> censorship. I would not be surprised if my account is closed by the
>> moderator so that I would not be able to receive any more updates and
>> challenge such censorship.
>>
Received on Fri Oct 03 2008 - 11:21:24 BST