Originally Posted by sean1552

This is only getting more interesting.

-- this text is pasted from the relay site --

The embittered ranks over on the IP Relay forum decided that it would be a good idea to post transcripts of (legitimate) relay calls online. Along with colorful descriptions of how "dumb" ASL users are.

ASL does not translate directly into English and vice versa. This is like calling a perfectly intelligent foreigner "stupid" because you dont understand his attempts at communicating in conversational English.

Being a moderator, I deleted the offending posts and redirected those involved. It turned into an all-out flame session. Well then, (swearing) am I to come along and start moderating posts?

So I posted their "private" deaf bashing posts in the "public" forum. This enraged everyone. How dare I post their PRIVATE communications publicly?

Oh. Sort of like they were posting verbatim telephone conversations (more or less) publicly?

Meanwhile, another post lamented that deaf people don't care about TRS fraud, all they care about is their anonymity.

Hmm. Cue the next post where I'm lambasted for depriving the poor angry relay operators of THEIR right to anonymity.

The logical contradictions apparent in this whole mess are beyond anything I can even summarize at this point.

1) Deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled users DO have an FCC mandated right to confidentiality. I do not know of a single prosecution to date. The statute would consider this a wiretapping offense (under the Communications Act) as it's a verbatim record of a telephone call (written in this case) authorized by neither party to the call.

2) Relay operators do not have a "right" to break this law, even "anonymously".

I decided that some of the more vocal users were apparently too (swearing) stupid to reason with. Ironically enough. How do you guys feel about a relay operator bashing forum?

I received a number of "threats" that they were going to go start their own board where embittered people can mock deaf TRS users and post all the call logs they want. I would highly reccommend AOL or Usenet, or wait perhaps more appropriately for this clique, pogo.com.

(swearing)

Let's end the hypocrisy now. I introduce to you the new IP Relay Operator Bashing Forum.