From: Xcott Craver <caj@math.niu.edu>
Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 19:33:39 -0700 (PDT)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: A new Swiss banking novel
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980504210542.23408A-100000@localhost>
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.980504205436.22691A-100000@baker>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



On Mon, 4 May 1998 mgraffam@mhv.net wrote:
> On Mon, 4 May 1998, Xcott Craver wrote:

> > 	I advise crypto proponents to halt any analogy-making to 
> > firearms, for this reason.  Nothing against guns, of course; but to gain 
> > acceptance crypto cannot be dropped in the same conceptual bin as guns.
> 
> And spin the same propoganda wheel as the Man? Not me. I don't see crypto
> gaining acceptance among the masses out of fear.

	I don't think it's spinning the same propaganda wheel.  In
	fact, if anything, you're probably giving in to "the Man" by 
	letting this view of crypto persist.  That is, IMHO; since
	IMHO the feds are trying to push this view of crypto.

	The implicit connection between crypto and weapons is what 
	will allow the feds to cater to that fear to get it banned.
	Further, as many people simply don't own guns, many are
	easily detached from gun-related issues.  A large part of
	the CA smoking ban was due to this same detachment:  a large 
	non-smoking majority really doesn't give a damn about
	smokers' rights, because they don't see it hurting them.

	The TRVTH is that crypto will be used by just about anyone
	who does anything over an electronic link.  People will
	need it for friendly day-to-day transactions.  A crypto ban
	will be harder to push if people see crypto in this way:
	less like a gun, more like a car or a beeper; maybe useful to 
	criminals but useful in everyday affairs to law-abiding people
	too---nay, NECESSARY--and a silly thing to ban.  

	If you stick with the line that "crypto, like a gun, can
	be used by good guys as well as bad guys," you'll give
	across the opposite impression.  Rather than seeing crypto
	as something they want and will use a lot, many people will see
	crypto as something they probably won't even have in their
	house, something whose actual use is something to be avoided.  
	I mean, you could probably get steak knives banned in today's 
	climate by defending them like that.

							-Xcott