Aggressive language on python-list

[Chris Angelico]

On Thu, Oct 18, 2012 at 3:05 PM, Dwight Hutto <dwightdhutto at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 17, 2012 at 11:50 PM, wu wei <wuwei23 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Did you really forward a private email to a public mailing list without
>> permission?
>>
>> Are you really that fucking ignorant of the law?
>
> This is a public discussion. Maybe you just need to stand behind a
> loophole in the law, but the first amendment overrides that.

Common misconception. The First Amendment to the United States
Constitution prohibits the *making of any law* that restricts certain
freedoms. It does not have ANYTHING to do with "I have first amendment
rights to say whatever I like". It is restrictions on Congress and the
state governments in the US of A.

Even if python-list were purely US-based, it still wouldn't apply.

Deliberately forwarding a private email without permission is a breach
of courtesy, more than of the law. It may be possible to make a civil
case of the breach of privacy in some jurisdictions, but mainly it's
just a gross discourtesy. (Assuming, that is, that the email wasn't
actually intended to be public. I've at times responded on-list to a
private email, but with a tag at the top explaining that.)

ChrisA