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Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!sundc!sun!decwrl!hplabs!well!rab
From: rab@well.UUCP (Bob Bickford)
Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Subject: Re: An interesting message from SECURITY-DIGEST@RUTGERS
Message-ID: <4247@well.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Oct-87 05:03:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: well.4247
Posted: Mon Oct 19 05:03:19 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Oct-87 02:38:05 EDT
References: <7449@reed.UUCP> <8746@utzoo.UUCP> <471@auscso.UUCP>
Reply-To: rab@well.UUCP (Bob Bickford)
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 30
Keywords: NSA, DES, STU-III

In article <471@auscso.UUCP> johnm@auscso.UUCP (John B. Meaders, Jr.) writes:
  [speaking of private companies' opposition to gov't listening in
   on their overseas traffic]
>If they are so against it, they must be doing something illegal.
 
  This is *exactly* the sort of uninformed attitude that will be the death
of the human race if we don't put an end to it.  "Guilty until proven
innocent" is a policy that only the Gestapo (and the IRS) could love.

>                                                                  There is
>a price to pay for freedom,

  The price you name is essentially to GIVE UP our freedom in the event
some bureaucrat thinks we might be doing something wrong.  You approvingly
mention domestic snooping.  You justify it "to prevent someone from doing
harm". (paraphrased)  This sort of reasoning leads to totalitarian states;
since the only way those in charge can *know* that nothing 'wrong' is being
done is to be in total control.  Or at least to completely eliminate any
semblance of privacy, which eventually amounts to the same thing.
  If you think that giving up your freedom when told to by gov't is the
recipe for keeping it, you're due for a rude awakening someday.  I hope
you survive the experience.  Many Germans didn't survive THEIR brush with
Authority.


-- 
  Robert Bickford                 {hplabs, ucbvax, lll-lcc, ptsfa}!well!rab
/-------------------------------------v-------------------------------------\
| Don't Blame Me: I Voted Libertarian | Ron Paul: Libertarian for President |
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