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From: news@stc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.mail
Subject: Re: Mail Addressing Solved
Message-ID: <654@stc-b.stc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 22-Oct-85 08:21:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: stc-b.654
Posted: Tue Oct 22 08:21:55 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Oct-85 06:16:16 EDT
References: <134@mck-csc.UUCP> <2843@sun.uucp> <695@bu-cs.UUCP> <641@stc-b.stc.UUCP> <7456@watdaisy.UUCP>
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In article <7456@watdaisy.UUCP> gjerawlins@watdaisy.UUCP (Gregory J.E. Rawlins) writes:
>In article <641@stc-b.stc.UUCP> news@stc.UUCP (Network news system) writes:
>>In article <695@bu-cs.UUCP> root@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) writes:
>>> [very short comment about privacy]
>>	What a repulsive attitude! Why not go back to net.cia
>>	or wherever you came from. (Soviet Russia?)
>
>Dear Person,
>    I think you owe Mr. Shein a sincere, net-wide apology. His
>article was closely reasoned and suggestive; your comment on a
>very minor part of it was far more than it merited. Thank You.
>	gregory rawlins.

	I'm sorry that I let my anger overcome my reason and I should
	have been less abusive.

	BUT...

	The most closely reasoned argument can be destroyed by a single
	flaw. (See under Perpetual Motion). Mr Shein casually dismissed
	privacy as something that's only for those who can afford to
	pay for it.

	NO, NO, NO, NO, NO

	Privacy is a basic human RIGHT. Too many of our rights have
	been appropriated by authority with the excuse that the greater
	public good is served thereby. My mentioning of Soviet Russia
	was quite intentional - there is a country whose citizens
	EXPECT to have their daily actions and thoughts monitored by
	the State.

	Every time someone suggests that another right is 'optional' or
	'available at extra cost' or 'in the way of progress' the
	quality of our lives diminishes and we slide another few feet
	down the slope that leads to the totalitarian society. To sell
	your birthright for convenience's sake is foolish short-term
	thinking of the sort that leads to badly-built, dangerous
	nuclear power stations (I'm for nuclear power) and inefficient
	totalitarian regimes.

	Many people that I know who live alone choose to have
	ex-directory numbers to protect themselves from obscene phone
	calls, or burglars 'casing the joint'. To suggest that such
	people should have to publicise their 'phone numbers or get
	another line is to put a price on their fear. No one should
	have to pay that price.