From: liberty@gate.net (Jim Ray)
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 1995 23:15:59 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: "Strongly Voluntary" Key Escrow
Message-ID: <199512151412.JAA30648@osceola.gate.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Tim wrote:

<snip>

>All of these are "voluntary" key escrow (though I hate that misuse of the
>word "escrow") [...]

I do too, and I hate it enough that I must (again) object to any use of
it where there is not a _NEUTRAL_, _THIRD_ party involved, as explained
before on the list (at length) by me, James A. Donald, and many others.

[So, why are you *again* consuming bandwidth on this subject, Jim?]

Because I love the English language, and because I am quite aware that
those who define the terms end up winning the debate, every time. I do
not want the word "escrow" in a key context to go the way of the word
"voluntary" in an income-tax context (or the word "take" in an enviro-
law context). The government has snaked in a Newspeak meaning for the
latter two terms, but I hope that cypherpunks will only use the term
"GAK" when talking to or about the government. Failure to do so will
not only put "our side" in a worse public-relations position, it may
(in the future) do violence to the English language. While I enjoyed
Tim & Uni's "voluntary" sarcasm, I think we have enough material for
*ample* humor without adding even more words to the Newspeak roll.

<snip>

>there are few circumstances where I think "government certification"

"Government Key Certification" might be an OK compromise-term compared
to "key escrow," but we should [IMNSHO] continue to stick to "GAK." As
you know, I prefered the term "FUCKED," but now we must be "decent" in
our communications. <sigh>

>is even useful, let alone necessary.

I can think of only two, but perhaps there are others:
1. Government employees (but only while working on government time).
2. Convicted felons (I wouldn't include the failed drugwar's felons).

>Any scheme in which the government interjects itself in what would not
>normally involve them can hardly be said to be strictly voluntary.

Indeed, but we have already "lost" the word "voluntary" to Newspeak,
which is why it's necessary to qualify it with words like "strictly"
and "strongly."
JMR
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Regards, Jim Ray
http://www.shopmiami.com/prs/jimray
"Thank God we don't get all the government we pay for." -- Will Rogers
[Said back when we paid for (and got) a  _lot_  less government.]
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PGP key Fingerprint  51 5D A2 C3 92 2C 56 BE  53 2D 9C A1 B3 50 C9 C8 
Public Key id. #  E9BD6D35  <liberty@gate.net>  IANAL
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Help Phil! e-mail zldf@clark.net or http://www.netresponse.com/zldf
_______________________________________________________________________


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