From: fc@all.net (Dr. Frederick B. Cohen)
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 95 16:20:16 PST
To: rthomas@pamd.cig.mot.com (Robert Owen Thomas)
Subject: Re: Globally legal Netscape
In-Reply-To: <9512031626.ZM17818@pamd.cig.mot.com>
Message-ID: <9512040017.AA26026@all.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


> look, this is just a *bit* extreme.  having been one of those folks sworn
> to uphold the Constitution, i can tell all of you that there is no master
> plan to rid the American people of their rights and freedom.

The problem is that there is no master plan to uphold it.  Freedoms are
rarely lost all at once.  Rather they are nibbled away in the name of
crime control, keeping people from hurting themselves, religious beliefs,
and the like.

> this is not to say we should not keep a sharp and keen eye open for any
> assault upon our liberties.  rather, having "BEEN THERE", i just do not
> see any threat along the lines of, er, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, et. al.

Nobody in power saw the threat of Hitler even after he invaded Poland. 
In the early days, the Jews thought that being identified as Jews was no
big deal.  The Chinese cameras were portrayed as a way to reduce crime. 
The files kept by Iraq on the Kurds were supposedly used to track
criminals.  Law enforcement is almost universally used as an excuse to
collect information on individuals in the name of helping society, but
this power is easily abused.

	- It was abused in the US in the 60s against blacks seeking equal
	rights - in the name of civil order.

	- It was abused in the 50s against Americans who were even
	peripherally associated with the Communist party - in the name
	of civil order.

	- It is being used today in the name of stopping white supremicists
	and drug dealers - in the name of civil order.

Just like in the 50s and the 60s, the FBI is the one pushing for more
wiretaps and less privacy, and just like the 50s and 60s, people are
buying the anti-crime claim when in fact, this is about political power
over the rights of individual citizens.

Now I don't necessarily support more than one of these three causes, but
I do know that when one person loses their right of privacy, we all lose
our rights as well.

> let's try to keep this in perspective, Fred.  perhaps a little less
> caffiene would help?  ;-)

I haven't had any Caffine lately, but I did go for a nice hike this morning.
It's a natural high.

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