From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 1997 10:16:17 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: Re: there is no middle ground (Re: The Grand Compromise is Coming)
In-Reply-To: <v0310280bafd607388c55@[207.167.93.63]>
Message-ID: <v03102804afd8cf96b5e5@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 2:18 AM -0700 6/26/97, Adam Back wrote:

>So you might argue that this would make the privacy lobyists seem more
>middle of the road.  However crypto is binary, either it's free, or
>it's GAKked, so they (the privacy lobbyists) can't disavow crypto
>anarchy, because it's a consequence of the technology and legal frame
>work they want for privacy.  There's nothing in between.

I of course agree that there's nothing in between, and that free and full
access to strong crypto implies crypto anarchy (in some form, not
necessarily full-blown anarcho-capitalism in all areas).

I don't think massively publicizing crypto anarchy will serve to make the
privacy lobbyists "seem more middle of the road." More likely, if Congress
ever figured out what strong crypto really means, they'd ban it
immediately. And if the Supreme Court ever figured it out, they'd uphold
the ban.

>My conclusion was that the crypto anarchy conclusions are pretty much
>in line with some of the NSAs scare stories and their spin is being
>used as an argument for GAK.

I agree. The NSA, FinCEN, etc., figured out the implications the same way
we did. Maybe nobody in these agencies was very publically trumpeting them,
for various obvious reasons, and maybe not as early as some of us were
(1981-87), but they certainly reached the same conclusions in recent years.

This doesn't mean we're not in a state of war with each other, though.

They know that if we win, they lose. We know that if they win, we lose. Simple.

--Tim May


There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."