From: Fisher Mark <FisherM@exch1.indy.tce.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 01:53:53 +0800
To: "'cypherpunks'" <cypherpunks@cyberpass.net>
Subject: RE: Br'er Tim and the Bug Hole
Message-ID: <2328C77FF9F2D011AE970000F84104A749343D@indyexch_fddi.indy.tce.com>
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Bob Hettinga writes in reply ('>'):
>> If Tim believes that a judge has committed a capital crime, I want to
>> hear about it.
>
>Right. The judge made a decision that Tim thinks the judge should die
for.
>
>My point is not the fact of whether the judge committed an "executable"
>offense, or didn't. It was that Tim made a thinly veiled threat. To
wit, Tim
>implied that the Judge should be executed for his court decision. I'm
saying
>that guys with associates' degrees in "criminal justice" would love any
reason
>to make Tim a new wife of one of their permanent jail residents after
a, um,
>crack, like that, and Tim, more to the um, point, seems to, um, up the
ante,
>by sauntering down to the the jailhouse and pissing on the guard's
shoes.
>
>Metaphorically, of course. :-).

I think you're making a mountain out of a metaphor, here, Bob (sound of
language processor set on "puree"...)

In what seems to worry you about Tim, I see him just saying that if
things he thinks may come to pass, do come to pass, he isn't going to go
"quietly into that goodnight".  I suspect his view of what is coming is
influenced by where he lives (Corralitos, CA) just as yours is
influenced by your location (Boston, MA) and my viewpoint is necessarily
influenced by my location (Noblesville/Indianapolis, IN).  It seems to
me that a lot of social changes start on the West Coast, often including
those of a greater governmental powers nature -- Tim may actually have
more to worry about than you or me.  Or none of us may have these
worries *if* we make sure, in whatever ways we can, to influence others
to resist the continuing encroachment of governmental power upon
individual freedoms.  Plus I think (from what I can see):
* Tim likes to be prepared; and
* Tim finds weaponry intrinsically interesting;
so these elements enter his writing.


To make a long story short (too late!), when I read Tim saying that the
judge has committed a capital crime, I interpret that as he should be
tried, and if found guilty (as Tim thinks likely so), then he should
receive a severe punishment consistent with the nature of his crime.
Both Tim and you, Bob, write very clearly and coherently.  I have never
read anything that Tim has written that makes me think he is anywhere
near ready to make a "first strike" against government -- but if the
government chooses to act illegally and unconstitutionally against Tim,
he says he will defend himself as is his right.


I dunno... Sometimes, Bob, I think that you and Tim have so much trouble
because you are in such violent agreement about the importance of
cryptography...
==========================================================
Mark Leighton Fisher          Thomson Consumer Electronics
fisherm@indy.tce.com          Indianapolis, IN
"Their walls are built of cannon balls, their motto is
'Don't Tread on Me'"