From: "David D.W. Downey" <Webmaster@CyberSpaceTechnologies.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 03:38:57 +0800
To: "cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: Interesting Question..
Message-ID: <33D3B726.C5C7DE0E@CyberSpaceTechnologies.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Here is an interesting question. The U.S government has classified
encryption software as a munitions under the U.S ITAR regulations, which

will limit the export of same. They rarely if ever approve an export
unless they have thoroughly inspected it and have been given certain
shall we say assurances. Next they develop a number of different chips
that rely on a classified algorythm, which incidently they developed.
They say that they want the entire population of the U.S to use these
chips, going so far as to use their market power to put additional
pressure on enterprises to manufacture and use these chips. Next the FBI

howls thatt they need a law to ban domestic non-escrowed encryption.
Then we have the Congress trying to pass stricter laws regarding
encryption while screaming that they have to protect the children from
all this nasty stuff on the web. This they scream even though they can't

pass a balanced budget or manage to find enough money to educate those
self same kids. Next we have us, the general public, who are worried
that the government will abuse this proposed system. The government says

they won't, which we are supposed to believe even though their track
record shows that we can't trust them past the first money trough that
comes their way. That leaves one final question. How long until they
stop asking and pleading and start demanding we use this system of
theirs. How long until we become criminals by enacting our right not to
use it?

Interesting, don't you think?