From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 13:01:16 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: You really do want to volunteer, don't you?
Message-ID: <v03102809b0314ac20d7e@[207.167.93.63]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




Oh, I left out one of the best examples of this Orwellian doublethink about
what "voluntary" means.

Item: "You may volunteer to let the nice officers boarding this bus search
your bags without any kind of search warrant or probable cause. Most of you
will readily volunteer, as you "have nothing to hide." However, failure to
volunteer will then mark you as a probable hider of something, and the
police officers will then have "probable cause" to search your bags. Have a
nice day."

This was an actual case, heard by the Supreme Court several years back. Bus
passengers were given the opportunity to volunteer, as noted. Failure to
volunteer was construed as probable cause that contraband was present.

(No, I don't know the name of the case. My recollection is that it took
place in Florida or one of the Carolinas. Nor do I recollect how the
Supremes decided the case....I can hope they ruled it a clear violation of
the Fourth. But I don't remember. Regardless of the outcome, for now, it
shows the Orwellian concept of "mandatory voluntary" at work.)

--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."