From: jim@bilbo.suite.com (Jim Miller)
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 12:22:10 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Disinformation (or the Truth?) About Clipper
Message-ID: <9402232015.AA01702@bilbo.suite.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Tim May writes:

> My use of the term "disinformation" seems to have taken on
> a life of its own as "lying," with several posters saying
> that the truth is best, that lying is bad, and that if we
> have to lie we deserve to have Clipper and Capstone!
>
> What I urge--and others are free to do as they wish--is to
> "educate" people by describing to them the implications
> as we see them. That is, we who have thought about Clipper
> and have seen past government depredations and abuses,
> have seen from the beginning how Clipper is likely to be
> abused, how the very concept of key escrow is anathema to
> basic rights, how Clipper and its Big Brethren (I just
> coined this) are likely to be made mandatory, etc. We see
> truth, not the charade of "voluntarism" and the "social
> need" cited by the authorities. 

> 


I'm quite satisfied with this clarification (as if it matters to any  
but me).

Still, I believe labeling your efforts a "disinformation campaign"  
was a mistake.  It gives the pro-Clipper people something to throw  
back in your face.  How about changing "disinformation campaign" to  
"education campaign"?  It has a more positive sound to it and doesn't  
limit you to only dry facts.  Education through speculation,  
hyperbole, and satire can be effective and is ethical if the reader  
can recognize when you are engaging in speculation, hyperbole, or  
satire (my opinion, of course). 


Jim_Miller@suite.com