Subject: A Climax of Sublime Rectitude

From: D B McCullagh <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 1995 19:44:49 -0700 (PDT)

(The following messages are from a graduate student and outspoken
administration critic in CMU's school of computer science.)

CMU's vice provost, Erwin Steinberg, legitimized Rimm's work by appearing
with him on Nightline and by defending the administration's Usenet
censorship. An odd occupation, you might say, for a former English
professor who used to teach Joyce. 

As a side note, Altmann was brought up on disciplinary charges twice last
year for his allegedly politically incorrect speech. CMU is, after all, an
equal-opportunity censor: not just Usenet, but also political speech. 

-Declan

---

From: Erik Altmann <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 95 16:16:01 EDT
To: [email-masked]
CC: [email-masked], [email-masked]
Subject: A Faustian bargain

Dear Dr. Steinberg,

The news below helped answer some of my questions.  For one who has
labored in obscurity for so long, a last chance to perform before an
audience must be tempting.  And so the professor of English betrays
academia, to become at least visible.

You are not only visible, but transparent.  Your various recent
performances make it clear that you are a censor and a moral despot,
and that you have no sense of responsibility.  You will escape the
consequences of your actions, but my colleagues and I will live them.

Your actions, and the support they have received from Carnegie Mellon
University, will affect every choice I make about CMU for as long as I
have an income.

Sincerely,

Erik Altmann
Graduate Student,
Computer Science

> NIGHTLINE...Erwin Steinberg, Vice Provost for Education, and Martin Rimm,
> Electrical and Computer Engineering, will appear on the Monday evening,
> June 26 "Nightline" (taped broadcast).  They will be addressing internet
> censorship.  You won't want to miss this one!

---

From: Erik Altmann <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 13 Dec 94 12:49:24 EST
To: [email-masked]
CC: [email-masked]
Subject: A missing voice

Dear Dr Steinberg,

Your challenges to what Dr Arms so rightly calls the "liberal"
perspective on bboard regulation have been somewhat flaccid, and leave
us cold.  By now we crave a penetrating analysis of such key
historical questions as the evolution of scandalousness since your
day.  We also wait to be led with courage and honesty in the struggle
against subversive and dangerous cults like anime cartoonery.

It really is up to you to cool the prurient ardor that fevers and
shames our institution; to protect us from images wanton enough to
disrupt equanimity even in the calcified and impotent.  It's up to you
to remind us that our alma mater, in loco parentis, has a reputation
vto maintain.  What parents would entrust their children to a fallen,
*libidinous* community?  If we can't convince them that we prohibit
smut, they won't even get to the ticklish question of CMU's suicide
rate.

Take heart, and take the lead of our President, who recently addressed
the misdemeanors of his Surgeon General.  Consult Dr Arms, Dr
Christiano, and Dr Mehrabian -- call a planning meeting of the Senior
Anti-Sex League.  Deputize your PG ratings committee, issue scrapers
and passwords, and march them off to keep our campus free of
lascivious images.  Then speak to us, Dr Steinberg.  Turn to us with
the passion -- nay, outrage! -- that you muster so abruptly in
response to the lightest and most innocent rhetorical caress.  Drive
us to a climax of sublime rectitude!  Hey hey, ho ho, masturbation has
got to go!  Oh God!

Yours in temperance,

Erik Altmann