From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 10:15:21 +0800
To: "snow" <snow@smoke.suba.com>
Subject: Re: Bean Counting II
In-Reply-To: <v0310280eb03e81265f20@[207.167.93.63]>
Message-ID: <v03102800b042485868c6@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 6:28 PM -0700 9/14/97, snow wrote:
>> >If we had the proper figures to work with then we could make a valid
>> >judgment as to how many lives anti-GAK supporters would have to put
>> >in danger in order to tip the balance so that it would be in the best
>> >interests of the citizens to allow strong non-GAK'ed crypto.
>> >I, for one, would hate to see lives lost needlessly merely because
>> >those opposing GAK did not have the proper figures to work with.
>> This is a worthless and dangerous argument to make. If you can't see why,
>> you have no business writing articles on this list.
>> Hint: "The greatest good for the greatest number" is passe.
>
>	I took the original writers point to be that maybe, just maybe
>the reason they aren't giving us any numbers is because there AREN'T
>any numbers. That the chances are strong crypto _won't_ cause any deaths.
>Won't cost any lives. They know that.

And that's nonsense. The widespread deployment of strong crypto will in
various ways "cause" various deaths, in ways we've discussed many times
over the years.

So? Some of them will have deserved death, some will have gotten caught in
situations they didn't deserve, and so on. Any new technology or
communications medium produces deaths. Freedom of speech inevitably
triggers some historical developments which cause deaths. So?

It is fatuous nonsense to suggest "That the chances are strong crypto
_won't_ cause any deaths."

Not that "body counts" are a basis for deciding on basic freedoms. Which
was my point.


--Tim


There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."