I began work on the SCAA FAQ several years ago when SCAA was a much different place than it is today. There was a core group of intelligent and friendly folks who spent the time to answer a great number of questions about African American life. As time wore on, however, the tone of SCAA became more hostile and some of the more patient folks left. My own patience was dearly tried at the time. But there were always new folks coming to the group who asked some of the same old questions. We believed they didn't deserve to be ignored but that was what happened because the core group who took responsibiltiy for the group spent so much time staving off flamers, trolls and various and sundry racists. Thus the FAQ was born.
One of the great challenges in creating and maintaining a FAQ for SCAA is that there is so much basic material to cover. Whatever the most current of events, there still remained a large number of subjects - discussed to death - which cycled into view as the years passed by. In due course, I decided to take responsibilty. This is the third (and hopefully final) form of the FAQ.
I hope you find it useful.
Michael Bowen, March 1997
By the way, here is the original SCAA Charter
| Below is the real charter for SCAA, approved on or about April 16, 1990. The proponent was Eric Deering. ----------------------------- CHARTER FOR SOC.CULTURE.AFRICAN.AMERICAN 1) This shall be an unmoderated newsgroup to discusses issues and events of interest to people of African descent residing in the general vicinity of the United States of America, which would encompass the United States, Canada, and the islands of the Carribean. 2) Anyone can post to this newsgroup. 3) Articles posted to this group should be of interest to the readers of the newsgroup. Topics of interest would be the following: - politics, new/old legislation, politicians; - culture, history, philosophy, ideology, geography; - educational issues; - business related issues; - societies, traditions, customs; - literature, poetry, art, music, folklore; - languages, books; - science, technology; - food, cookery; - the media, popular entertainment, television, cinema - local events, news, programs, economy; - communities abroad, problems, needs; and - *things* normally discussed in the "soc.culture" newsgroups. 3) This newsgroup is NOT to be used to bash people from different ethnic groups. Flames and the like should be avoided. 4) Articles related to other ethnic groups are welcome and encouraged, so long as the discussion does not get inflammatory (see 3) above). |