From: Peter Murphy <pkm@maths.uq.oz.au>
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 94 01:14:56 PDT
To: Jim_Miller@bilbo.suite.com
Subject: Re:  Terra Libra (long)
Message-ID: <9404210812.AA05165@axiom.maths.uq.oz.au>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Wow. Correct me if I'm wrong, but has someone been resurrecting L.
Ron Hubbard on the sly? Either that, or the scientologists have
decided to reform under a different name? Naaw. The syntax is not
appalling enough, and there isn't enough jargon. (However, that
SUPERHEALTH word does make me suspicious... :-)

	Yes, Jim is right. It is a scam. After all, it tries to present 
itself as a transnational organization. Yet it seems to be full of
references to "AMERICA", and contains such buzzwords as "Waco",
"War on Drugs", "socialized health care", and the real give-away:
"constitution". It was obviously written by an American, and is
primarily directed towards Americans.

	O.K. Most of the cypherpunks are Americans, and are interested
in such things as the constitution, and Clipper. I have never had a
problem with that, and in fact find it very enlightening to hear about
things from a slightly different perspective from Australia. Occa-
sionally I've seen a silly phrase such as "all us Americans", but I've
let it slide. So don't worry. I am not flaming you.

	But for some reason, that Terra Libra post really PISSED me
off. It contained the arrogant preconception that everyone, everywhere,
has the same amount of reverence for the U.S. constitution, and in
fact, look to America as "the home of the free". Well, I've got news
for those blokes. Try to peddle that Terra Libra crap to (say) an
Australian (especially those in the right mind set to appreciate such
"libertarian" ideal expresses inside), and they'll laugh in your face.
They'll look at all the buzzwords, and then just turn around and say:
"Nope." Of course, the Terra Libra dudes are probably not intending this
for anyone but the U.S. Well, if they decide to expand across the Pacific,
they need to do some serious rewriting.

	Anyway, I have to thank Jim Miller for bringing it to my attention.
I did find it enlightening, although not for the reasons that Terra Libra
intended...:-)

=======================================================
| Peter Murphy. <pkm@maths.uq.oz.au>.  Department of  |
| Mathematics - University of Queensland, Australia.  |
-------------------------------------------------------
| "What will you do? What will you do? When a hundred |
| thousand Morriseys come rushing over the hill?"     |
|                                       - Mr. Floppy. |
=======================================================



P.S. I actually don't mind living with a "socialized" health care system.
For some reason, no one I know seems to mind either. But then, when some
one else suggests that the U.S. health care system (pre-92) is a good
idea, everyone looks at him as if he's gone mad. Cultural Differences...:-)