Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!athena.cs.uga.edu!mcovingt
From: mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: CPSR vs. EFF
Message-ID: <1991Jun26.055354.358@athena.cs.uga.edu>
Date: 26 Jun 91 05:53:54 GMT
References: <9269@hsv3.UUCP>
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens
Lines: 34

In article <9269@hsv3.UUCP> mvp@hsv3.lsil.com (Mike Van Pelt) writes:
>
>     "The Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
>     have taken out an advertisement in the West Coast edition
>     of the New York Times protesting the use of computer
>     technology in the war with Iraq."
>
>This does tend to support my off-the-cuff characterization of CPSR.  I
>suspect a fair percentage of those who support what EFF is doing find
>this sort of thing utterly cretinous. 

I agree, it's silly. Here's *why* it's silly: computer professionals
do not have any special expertise at determining whether or not their
country should go to war. They have exactly as much right to speak out
as any other citizen; but the implicit claim of special expertise is
what's ridiculous there (regardless of whether you think the war was
justified).

>Anyone who supports such Trendy Berkeley Left issues should by all
>means join CPSR, but EFF should not get involved in it.  EFF should not
>limit itself to support from the Painfully Politically Correct; its
>agenda is far broader and more important than that.

Agreed. EFF has important work to do, on issues on which its members
have special expertise. It should not get wrapped up in issues on which
they do not have special expertise.



-- 
-------------------------------------------------------
Michael A. Covington | Artificial Intelligence Programs
The University of Georgia  |  Athens, GA 30602   U.S.A.
-------------------------------------------------------