Please take some time to review these articles and visit the links on this subject.
What this boils down to is a software company Solid Oak, based in Santa Barbara is
choosing for us what we should and shouldn't view on the internet. These people are
trying to win the acceptance of public libraries and public schools. I think maybe the
route we should think about taking on this is getting Pagan, Wiccan, Shaman, Druid,
Celtic, Native American, and all other Earth Religion sites catagorized as "religious"
rather than what they are currently listed as Occult/Cult groups. Read on and see what
you think. I would be interested in your feedback and would like to post it here on
this page for others to see and share. Our voices are very powerful and each one should
have a chance to be heard. Send your comments for this issue to Me.
Last week, I had a run in with the Software Company that manufactures Cybersitter an Internet Filtering product. I wrote the company an e-mail expressing my displeasure at the filtering techniques they were currently employing. The company responded by mail-bombing me. For the full story on what happened visit: The Witches
After this incident occured the company drafted an automated response to anyone inquiring about the mail-bombing incident. This letter basically dimisses me as not being a worthwhile individual because I have a site for wiccans/pagans. The full version of that letter is also available at the above URL.
A few days after the mail-bombing incident, my site thewitches.com was added to Cybersitters list of blocked sites.They have since taken that one step further and banned ALL wiccan/pagan sites. Here is a brief copy of my violations file from the Cybersitter software. The blocked words "pagan", "wiccan" and "witch" came up when trying to access sites like The Witches Voice and Texas Pagan Awareness League. Cybersitter's software also blocks those words when trying to use them in search engines. Here is the log: 2/12/98 10:13:26 AM Internet activity started by user 'INFINIA' 2/12/98 10:14:36 AM Internet activity started by user 'INFINIA' 2/12/98 10:14:43 AM Internet activity started by user 'INFINIA' 2/12/98 10:16:58 AM Internet activity started by user 'INFINIA' 2/12/98 10:17:23 AM Blocked =witch 2/12/98 10:17:23 AM Blocked WICCANPAGAN 2/12/98 10:17:23 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:17:59 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:18:35 AM Blocked thewitches.com 2/12/98 10:19:25 AM Internet activity started by user 'INFINIA' 2/12/98 10:22:40 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:23:06 AM Blocked thewitches.com 2/12/98 10:23:06 AM Blocked mistress 2/12/98 10:30:55 AM Blocked nasty 2/12/98 10:30:55 AM Blocked =beer 2/12/98 10:30:55 AM Blocked beer 2/12/98 10:30:55 AM Blocked =wine 2/12/98 10:30:55 AM Blocked wine 2/12/98 10:30:55 AM Blocked =drugs 2/12/98 10:31:06 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:06 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:06 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:06 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:06 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:08 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:08 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:08 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:08 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:08 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:31 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:39 AM Blocked PAGANPAGAN 2/12/98 10:31:55 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:55 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:55 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:55 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:55 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:56 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:56 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:56 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:31:56 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:31:56 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:32:07 AM Blocked =pagan 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:32:41 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:32:49 AM Blocked =witch 2/12/98 10:33:08 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:33:08 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:33:08 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:33:08 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:33:08 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:33:09 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:33:09 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:33:09 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:33:09 AM Blocked pagan 2/12/98 10:33:09 AM Blocked witch 2/12/98 10:33:28 AM Blocked =wiccan There are three reasons to be concerned about this. 1.) Unlike Cyber-Patrol who had targeted individual wiccan/pagan websites Cybersitter is targeting ALL wiccan/pagan websites by their use of specific keywords. 2.) The major filtering software companies are known to share lists with each other so if we are banned on one, we very well might end up banned on all. 3.) If legislation is passed requiring schools and libraries to use filtering software, the public in general would not be able to access information about wicca/paganism. Some schools and libraries are already using filtering software. Any of these schools and libraries using Cybersitter have already shut the public off from accessing wiccan/pagan sites without even being aware of it, as Cybersitter keeps its list of blocked sites encrypted...one would have to view the violations log for a list of blocked keywords. This is a dangerous situation to wiccan/pagans everywhere. We have two major first amendment rights being violated here. Our freedom of speech as well as our freedom of religion. According to Solid Oak's website, this is the criteria they use for blocking sites: "CYBERsitter includes lists that can block literally 1000's of World Wide Web sites that are not suitable for children. Any site that focuses on topics such as adult or sexual issues, illegal activities, bigotry, racism, drugs, or pornography are included in the list. " Please explain to me which category wicca/paganism fall into here? "CYBERsitter's bad site list also includes hundreds of Usenet News Groups that focus on the same types of topics as the above WWW sites. You can optionally block access to ALL Newsgroups." Which means folks, that Pagan and Wiccan Newsgroups are also being blocked. There are several things that can be done about this. The Texas Pagan Awareness League has a page which lists the appropriate e-mail address with which to contact Solid Oak Software Inc. and voice your concern over this the URL is: http://www.tpao.org/cybersit.html I have also been contacted by a Southern California group who has been monitoring the Solid Oak situation for over a year. They are planning a peacable demonstration in front of Solid Oak's headquarters in Santa Barbara anyone interested in taking part in this demonstration can contact either myself asherah@thewitches.com or Chris Sullivan feedle@hotmail.com for more information. When writing please put the words "Solid Oak" in the subject line. You can also download a free trial copy of Cybersitter and verify for yourself that the wiccan/pagan sites are indeed blocked. I have created a .gif file that can be displayed on all wiccan/pagan sites It is available on both my homepage as well as on my censor page. Visit and consider becoming a member of Peacefire an organization that is dedicated to fighting both Internet censorship as well as the filtering software companies. Their URL is Help spread the word about Solid Oak's actions. My mailing list is limited and not all wiccans/pagans know about my website. Please make other wiccans/pagans you know aware of this situation either by forwarding a copy of this e-mail or referring them to the urls listed in this e-mail. The more united we are the louder our voices will be. If you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me asherah@thewitches.com again, I ask that you please put the words "Solid Oak" in the subject line as I will be setting up a seperate mail folder for this correspondence. Bright Blessings, Asherah Webmistress- The Witches.Com asherah@thewitches.com http://www.thewitches.com
Mr. Milburn,
I'm writing to you concerning your filtering software. As an ordained minister, educated with two Doctorates, I find your business ethics, and practices appalling.
First and foremost is the threat of blocking an entire ISP if they didn't remove a user from their server. Secondly are the allegations of e-mail bombs because someone decided to voice opposition to your ethics. Thirdly, is the childish attitude you've adopted at replying to people who voice opposition; calling them children, and telling them to go play at the mall and to leave you alone because you have a business to run.
Does this business you have to run also include e-mail bombing? Or belittling people who write you voicing opposition to your filtering methods?
I am not against filtering software. In a society where both parents have to work, I can understand that there needs to be a way parents can be assured that their kids won't access smut. But your software does not stop there.
You assume that the world should only be Christian. This is evident by the method you've chosen in filtering sites based on keywords. There are far more religions out there than Christianity sir. There are Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Earth Religions. Your software goes as far as filtering all these sites, as well as informative sites such as the National Organization of Women, and if you block Media3 because they refuse to remove users at YOUR demand, the May Flower Bulletin Board will also be blocked.
I am hosting a site now, which points out all the actions your company has taken, linking to all the stories done by Wired, PC World, Net News, among others. I am also sending letters to all the schools in my county, informing them that choosing your software is the wrong thing to do. In all honesty, I will do my best to ensure that your software will NOT be used in my county, or state.
Honestly, encrypting your filtered file, and making the decision of which sites get filtered, rather than allowing parents to modify it is not only similar to that of Nazi thinking, it's a poor business move. I do hope your wits and wisdom improve, and that you can end up seeing the true light. Perhaps then, will all this heat cool off.
Enclosed, you will find the letter I am mass mailing to our schools, and state offices.
Blessings
Reverend Dr. Cambion Chadeauwaulker
Sirs:
I write again, as an ordained Minister, with a viewpoint of your software. I'm educated with an Associates in Electronics, Doctorites in both Divinity and Metaphysics. I am an ordained High Priest of the Wiccan religion, and find the your software 'Cybersitter' is discriminating against our religions. Perhaps you are not aware of the truth about our religions. This is evident because you allow filters (now offered as a "Plug-in") for our religions, but you do not have filters that block Christian sites.
History is full of hatred created on behalf of millions of misguided Christians. The truth of our religions are that:
1) We are NOT a CULT. Christian and Catholic churches meet the definition of what a cult is more easily than we do.
2) The Occult merely means "Unknown", and is NOT evil.
3) Witchcraft is not evil. It is of the old Anglo-Saxon word meaning "Wisecraft".
I ask you this: If you are providing filters to exclude Pagan/Witchcraft/Wiccan sites, soley to appease the Christian community, are you going to provide the pagan community with filters that block out Christian sites? This is a serious question, because there are many Christian sites out there that are HATE sites. They speak that we, as an Earth Religion, should all be killed, because they say we kill children, and do the devils work. These are all false statements, created by two thousand years of church led bigotry. I'm not sure about you, but Pagan parents deserve to protect their children from this kind of hate. I'd hate to see one of our children accessing such hate sites, then asking us why it happend, then having nightmares because of such acts.
What we're seeking, is either the TOTAL exclusion of Witchcraft, Wicca, and other pagan beliefs, from your filters, as they are legally recognized religions. OR, provide filter plugins that will totally block out the Christian community, thus providing equal protection.
All of this, of course, will not stop me from my mission of ensuring that our local schools and county libraries are not using your software. Even though the filtering of our religous sites now comes as an optional plugin, we are still being discriminated against by your software.
I do hope you reconsider your stance.
Blessings
Reverend Dr. Cambion Chadeauwaulker
Blessings Webmaster:
We here at the Pagan Awareness League regret to inform you that your website has been blocked by Cybersitter. We feel that Cybersitters' policy of blocking sites, to it's customers, based on religious preferences is bad policy.
The reason Cybersitter gives for blocking your site is simple. You have Pagan in the URL.
We ask that if you are so inclined, please goto the banned list page and grab the blocked banner, and please add this banner on your site. By doing so you can inform your visitors of the current actions of Cybersitter, along with keeping them informed of the latest sites to be blocked.
The banner should be linked to
Banned List Page
Thank you in advance
Blessed Be
Rev. Robert Payne
Rev. Sarah Payne
Pagan Awareness League:
http://members.aol.com/Palweb/pal.htm
Co-Founders of CDF & P.A.L.
I was checking out your site for The Green's Review of
Sites (you scored a 29 of thirty by the way, which is fantastic(note
that anything above 21 is FAR above average, and a 10 in any catagory
(you got 10s in Content, and Maturity) is a mark of high praise from the
reviewers.)and I noticed that you,too had been banned by Cybersitter.
(okay,okay, I KNEW this already, as we're making a point of reviewing
PAL's banned sites FIRST this issue) If you want, You can check out the
newly formed Banned by Cybersitter
Webring
You site will be added to the review in the Ostara Issue. (And is in the
running for the top 10!)
Blessed be and keep up the great work...
Kaatryn