From: rishab@dxm.ernet.in
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 95 13:23:03 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Involve Telcos in activism?
Message-ID: <gate.c97F1c1w165w@dxm.ernet.in>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


storm@marlin.ssnet.com (Don Melvin):
>        Telecoms have bucks.
>        Telecoms have lawyers.
>        Telecoms are the 'transmission' agents for pretty much all of
>                the internet. Even high speed dedicated T1s are usually
>                from a telecom or two.

That's a laugh! Yes, it would be a good idea to involve telcos in our cause, 
but it was my impression that most cypherpunks expressed derision for the EFF 
for 'compromising' (i.e. being realistic). Telcos do not necessarily share the 
interests of cypherpunks; they want to make money, that's all. They'd love to 
compromise, and provide funding for CDT, Jerry Berman's new lobbying outfit. 
A good example of their attitude is what they do in India, or China. Here none 
of them are too keen to say anything against some of our ancient and idiotic 
laws, and they're all happy to budget for huge and unjustified 'licence fees' 
because they want to lick state ass. They want to grab these huge markets 
before it's too late, free speech be damned.


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Rishab Aiyer Ghosh          rishab@dxm.ernet.in           rishab@arbornet.org
Vox +91 11 6853410 Voxmail 3760335       H 34C Saket, New Delhi 110017, INDIA