From: "Vladimir Z. Nuri" <vznuri@netcom.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 15:32:56 -0800 (PST)
To: Sandy Sandfort <sandfort@crl.com>
Subject: Re: Cats Out of Bags
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.91.970130141730.3955H-100000@crl.crl.com>
Message-ID: <199701302332.PAA12616@netcom23.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


fascinating reading sandy, but

>
>The better metaphor for crypto is that the genie is out of the
>bottle.  Alternatively, that the crypto bell cannot be unrung.

these have the same conceptual limitations I was flaming. to
use the analogy:

1. it is unconstitutional to put a crypto genie in a bottle
in the first place.
2. it is unconstitutional to make laws against ringing crypto bells.

again, when you use the above analogies, the government can
argue with you and say, "no, we thing that crypto hasn't really
spread as much as it could without the ITAR", and this is a 
pretty difficult point to argue. how can you argue that crypto
has spread as much as it possibly can? relaxing regulations would
surely cause it to spread more than it has.

admittedly, I can't think of a nice substitute with a good "ring to it". <g>

however, I do like the saying that crypto-news has been using about
"our safe, our KEYS!!" or something similar. I propose that people
emphasize this. using any of the other analogies just encourages 
orwellian thinking along the lines in the government: oh YEAH?! who
SAYS the genie is out of the bottle?! what makes you think we can't
put him BACK THERE?!

so imho its all a diversion and a decoy. it's the wrong argument
to get involved in-- has crypto spread to make it impossible to 
contain? and as the saying goes, "never get in an
argument with a fool, people might not know the difference".

do we believe in the constitution or not? perhaps it becomes
a self-fulfilling prophecy when we don't.