From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 94 18:32:38 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Popular Front for the Liberation of Crypto
In-Reply-To: <9407292336.AA13690@bilbo.suite.com>
Message-ID: <199407300132.SAA25501@netcom2.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




> I think the only real good outcome would be that the verdict is overturned  
> because of some technicality, preventing the case from becoming some kind  
> of landmark.  However, this would only delay things until the next case.
> 
> 
> Jim_Miller@suite.com

I was talking last Saturday to Keith Henson, at the
Extropians/Cypherpunks/PenSFA party at Eric Messick's geodesic dome in
the Santa Cruz Mountains (I wanted to give you folks the "ambience"),
and Keith had just flown back from Memphis, where he had been
assisting the defense on computer and ECPA matters (Electronic
Communications Privacy Act). Keith has been on our list, has attended
several meetings, and is well-known to many of us.

Anyway, Keith confirmed that *several more* cases are pending, and I
joked (gallows humor) that the Mormons would get them next. A few days
later, charges were filed in Salt Lake City.

Grim times in cyberspace. 

Perhaps folks who are more willing to "compromise" with the law
enforcement types can see why I'm so opposed to helping them hang us.

I'm in the "Rejectionist Front"--no escrow, no limits on key lengths,
no fealty to outmoded laws. Too many Cypherpunks are trying to arrange
"reasonable compromises," I fear.

Perhaps I should form a splinter group, the PFLC, the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Crypto. The PFLC would axiomatically reject the
crappy compromises with Al Gore on the NII, the upcoming "deal" on
Digital Telephony (a deal is being cut even now), and the deal on
escrowed key systems we've been talking about lately.

The solution to the AA BBS sorts of things will not come anytime soon,
and probably not through the courts. Full-blown remailers, moving
AA-type boards out of the Beknighted States, etc.

Feeling paranoid, 

--Tim May




-- 
..........................................................................
Timothy C. May         | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,  
tcmay@netcom.com       | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
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W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA  | black markets, collapse of governments.
Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available.
"National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."