Copyright 1995(c) 
 
                          DEFINE THAT! 
                      A Ruby Begonia Column 
                         By Del Freeman 
 
     "Yo, I want'ta sign up with that guy what wants to preserve my
rights," said Ruby. 
     "You haven't got any rights," said Del Freeman. "You're 
virtual. I make you up. Ruby Begonia exists only in my 
imagination." 
     "Then you better sign up," said Ruby. 
     "Why?" asked Del. "I have all the freedom I want." 
     "Sure, but how long you gonna' have it? These people are 
fixin' to sneak into your very core of existence and listen to what
you say without your knowledge or permission. Then, they're gonna
use what they hear to categorize you -- maybe even prosecute you." 
    "Oh, Ruby... they are not. Don't be ridiculous," said Del. 
     "That's what them people in Waco said," said Ruby. "'They 
won't' attack us with the whole world watching on television,' was 
probably the last promise Koresh made." 
     "I hate it when you have opinions," said Del. 
     "But I'm right," Ruby insisted. "Listen, they can't tell me
that people what have access to bomb information and materials a
jillion places only decided to blow something up when they saw it
on Internet. That just ain't believable. Next, they'll be telling
me it's black-magic, or of the devil or somethin.'" 
     "Nonsense," said Del. 
     "So, sign up with this Senator Lehman. He wants to let people
study it, at least, before they legislate it. At least you get a
chance to know your freedoms before you forfeit 'em. Don't that 
make sense?" Ruby asked. 
     "Even to me," said Del. 
     "Hey!" said Ruby, recounting a recent news report, "If they're
gonna' get to impose fines from lawsuits over this being 
'publishing', then it gets not just the ouchies, but all the other
benefits of the first and fifth amendments, doesn't it? They can't
have the pencil red AND blue at the same time, now can they? 
Shouldn't somebody had oughta' point that out right away? 
     "One cannot, in the perception of any reasonable person, 
subject a medium to one definition of existence without applying
the applicable others, else how could such a definition be anything
but biased and false. And illegal. Mostly that last," said Ruby.  
    "Don't tell me..." said Del, with genuine dread. 
     "Ah-hem," Ruby coughed delicately and cleared her throat. 
     "To be a voyeur, or not to be a ..." she recited. 
                              -30-