From: mbriceno@aol.com
Date: Fri, 21 May 93 23:54:04 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: The New Mykotronix phones...
Message-ID: <9305220255.tn18219@aol.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> This is a good, creative response to fascist technology, but I wonder
> if I'm the only one on this list who's noticed a parallel between the
> government's attitude toward small arms & its attitude approach to
> cryptography?

I am glad that someone is finally mentioning this. The parallels are quite
clear. Both small arms and crypto can give  the people protection from
criminals, while at the same time decreasing the citizens need for
government.

If everybody would be armend, we would no longer look at the government as
the sole provider of protectios from violent crimes, rape, or muggings. If
everyone used crypto, we would no longer have to rely on ineffecive laws that
prohibit the reading of someone elses mail or listening to someone elses
phone conversations.

The laws against both eavesdropping and violent crimes do not seem to deter
the perpetrators. Consequently, the helpless citizen demands a steped up
surveilance of potential "criminals," while offering less privacy in return.
Similarily, an individual facing armed criminals on the street often asks for
stronger gun contoll.  The government is all too willing to grant this wish,
since it knows that the unarmed citizen believes that he is unable to exist
without the protection (read: controll) of the government.

-- Marc