9., e /S~aeI The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 16, 1995 - 5 LETTERS Continued from page 1 In his letters, Baker describes his stories as just fiction. "See, Watson, my friend, this is why I write those stories - to rid myself of the overwhelming anger I feel," Baker said in a message to Watson. "So give me your best shot. I've recieved so many supporting e-mails your position seems to be in the minor- ity. And even if you win this one, there'll be another to replace me," Baker wrote. "Can you fight the world. Because that's what you're doing. Freedom is slowly sprining (sic) from long years of darkness. Your slavery is a dark blight on the soul of mankind. Perhaps I shed no light, but I burn away your evil. "I have already won." In one of his messages to Watson, Baker tells of the nature of his Internet stories. "My stories are harmless diversions," Baker wrote. "I have never hurt anybody, and never plan on hurting anybody. "... I have remained honest to you people, simply to express the fact that I would never do the things in my stories," he wrote. "I leave myself open to attacks such as these, which is perhaps not the best thing, but I believe it is proper." Baker also told Watson his opinion about Watson send- ing his stories to the University and officials in Washington. "You, on the other hand, are trying at the least to ruin my reputation, and at most, get me expelled from the school's net system," Baker wrote. "Although I don't care about the former, and am not at the least worried about the latter, I would express great dissaproval (sic) of your actions. It is people like you who make others use anon(ymous) adresses (sic), something I find distasteful and would never do." In his letters to Watson, Baker also cites religious references coming from Buddhist writings. "'And the dark lord grew very angry at the Buddha," he wrote. "All the beautiful women turned into the most vicious fiends of hell. They launched a thousand arrows at him. But the Buddha simply kneeled down, and let his fingers brush the ground. He said, 'This place is mine.' The limbs of the Tree of Life reached down to protect the Buddha, and when the arrows came near, they turned into flowers of worship, and landed gently at the Buddha's feet." In Baker's first letter to Watson, just before 1 p.m. Jan. 13, Baker said posting his stories was a First Amendment right, and declared all of those who censor him criminals. "What you are advocating is called censorship," Baker wrote. "People like you have burned Alexandria; destroyed great works of art in Hitler Germany. A person like you shot Martin Luther King Jr. Silencing a voice is never right, and although I do not claim there exist (sic) any grand philosophical revalations (sic) in revalations (sic) in my stories, I am angered that you would jeperdize (sic) my college career in the name of censorship. "The great spirit judges you only by what you do, not what you think or by what is done to you," Baker continued. "I have done nothing - my soul is clean. You have filthied yours with the vilest of crimes - the crime of censorship." Watson, who said he is not pro-censorship, sent e-mail and a copy of Baker's story to University officials and to authorities in Washington. Watson said he was for free speech, but said Baker's story went beyond what should be allowed on the Internet. "I was merely concerned about a person who would pass off as 'erotica' a story about rape, mutilation and snuff," Watson said in an e-mail message to the Daily. Watson's e-mail address appeared on documents en- tered into evidence at Baker's detention hearing in Detroit last Friday. w DROOM with a guaranteed PRICE U U U U U U U U U U U U SIGN A LEASE FOR ONE OF THE SELECTED 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS BY MARCH 1ST, AND THE PRICE WILL BE GUARANTEED FOR 2 YEARS! NEWLY REMODELED 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS U ®U ®U . UnivevAeity Tower e 761-2680 NEW CARPET NEW DRAPES FRESHLY PAINTED Apartments shown daily 10-8 Sat/Sun 12-5 5 EEE.E.E.EEE"E So, you want to run for President? What is art? This baby doll sits outside of the Art School smoking cigarettes. She's just one of the many dolls sprawled out in front of the building. INTERNET Continued from page 1 Users also addressed privacy rights and the vague regulations for electronic communication. "There is one hell of a difference between *writing a generic fantasy and writing a fantasy which specifically names another person," wrote David Hines (dzhines@uchicago.edu). Kevin Pugh (pugh.29@ohio-state.edu) wrote, "It appears to be a crime prevented, and another incident that casts a poor light on the Internet and those that use it. ... Eventually there will be enough of an outcry by disturbed citizens, most of whom will either be computer illiterate or over protective parents, forcing a regulation of the Net by local, state and federal agencies." Some feel that Baker's actions were improper. "I do not believe Jake Baker should be hung from the highest yardarm, but I'd also rather not see him return to take up residence in East Quad again," said A.J. Annala (gnnala@usc.edu). Scott McGrath (mcgrats@netaxis.com) wrote, "This was a clear violation of her civil rights on JB's (Jake Baker's) part." Referring to a case at MIT involving a student who illegally used university computer resources, Erik Trimble (trimble@hmco.com) was concerned about applying existing laws to the Internet. "While neither of these cases has run its full course, let me say that I expect the outcome to be the same: that the individual in question is acquitted due to the inapplicability of current law to the electronic medium, but is expelled/ suspended from the Institution in question for misuse of school property," Trimble wrote. Some people have been surprised by the popularity of the Baker case in the media. "This case is the O.J. case of the Net," lamented an Internet user. Many users stressed the problem of identify- ing a single consciousness or ideal with the Internet. "The net is not a monoculture," wrote Jim Jewett(jewett+@pitt.edu). "Socially, we haven't yet worked out the bounds of public/private on the Net-and I don't think we will soon." MSA March ELECTIONS 22nd & 23rd _______-_ LL0 ELI GET YOUR CANDIDATE'S PACKET AT THE MSA OFFICE 3909 MICHIGAN UNION 24 School Reps, President & Vice President 2 Police Oversight Positions DEADLINE FOR CANDIDACY IS THURSDAY, MARCH 2nd at 5:00 pm .,sto eat eioa6 eln 763-3241 Sign on to the Daily confer - type confer mich-daily at the confer% prompt. r Sure you deserve some fun this summer after your hard work this academic year. 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Oakland University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. r- -- -- ----------------- ----- ------ ----t 1 1 1 I HOW TO SAVE A FEW BUCKS. 1 I- I (YOU CAN'T LIVE OFF PSYCH EXPERIMENTS ALONE.) I 1 1 1 ~Buy pizza at closing time. I Haggle for slices they'd otherwise j just throw away. 1 1 I ~ Eat Ramen noodles. 1 I I Make friends with a Senior. j Come June, they'll be more than glad to give you their old Poly Sci books and couches I I I g Donate blood. a Save a life and get a free lunch to boot. I I Pick up a Citibank Classic card. I There's no annual fee. g CMBAN