From: Jim Choate <ravage@EINSTEIN.ssz.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 1997 11:37:30 +0800
To: cypherpunks@EINSTEIN.ssz.com (Cypherpunks Distributed Remailer)
Subject: Webpage picketing...
Message-ID: <199706040156.UAA17179@einstein.ssz.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text



Hi,

I was just reviewing the various emails on this topic trying to create a
cogent whole, or at least the start of it. Anyway, I realize that at least
one cpunk out there seems to seriously think that I brought this subject up
with regards to the 'criminal libel' issue and wanting to send some sort
of message to others. Hardly. That started yesterday, way after I was already
looking at the issue. Furthermore, I no more want to slap more spin doctor
output in front of others than to have to look at it myself. I was mainly
trying to make a prediction about the future and then seeing, if reasonable,
how long it took.

Perhaps a little explanation is in order. I was going to the grocery store
the other day and the perennial grape picketers were out there. It occured
to me that some comparison between a public sidewalk and a public backbone
could be made. I began to draw comparisons and it became clear that
something was up here. It occurs to me that somebody with the right
motivation might want to claim that they have a right to put a box on such a
backbone (ie stand on the sidewalk in front of the store) and scrape for
particular addresses (ie the business they want to picket). Now the
picketers can't stop anyone from going in the store (ie packets going down
the pipe) by they can attempt to talk to them as well as wave large lettered
signs in their face (ie put a short banner page on their screen). A webpage
could do this by putting up a single page with a continue button (ie a path
to the door of the store). You could no more stop them from searching
packets than you could stop somebody from standing or walking beside you
down a public street.

   _______________________________________________________________________
  |                                                                       |
  |            Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.              |
  |                                                                       |
  |                                     Slovenian Proverb                 |
  |                                                                       |
  |     Jim Choate                                 ravage@ssz.com         |
  |     The Armadillo Group                        www.ssz.com            |
  |     Austin, Texas, USA                         512-451-7087           |
  |_______________________________________________________________________|