Re: Gee...

At 12:21 PM 4/27/94 -0700, Sandy Sandfort wrote:

>Wrong on both counts.  Getting it out legally would be nice--it's a great
>*fallback* position--but that's not the object of the game.  The idea is
>to get it out and make it widely available.  Period.

Maybe of your game.  My game is to get cryptography available to all,
without violating the law.  This mean fighting Clipper, fighting idiotic
export restraints, getting the government to change it's stance on
cryptography, through arguements and letter pointing out the problems (I
love Phil Karn's CJ request, because it points out some of the idiocy
behind some of the regulations).  This means writing or promoting strong
cryptography.

By violating the law, you give them the chance to brand you "criminal," and
ignore/encourage others to ignore what you have to say.

>The Constitution and other laws are not magic talismans.  It is fantasy
>thinking that technical compliance with the government's laws renders
>them "completely powerless."  A Smith & Wesson beats four-of-a-kind.

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here.  Them being the laws or
the government?

Bob

--
Bob Snyder N2KGO                                     MIME, RIPEM mail accepted
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C'punks,

On Thu, 28 Apr 1994, Bob Snyder wrote quoting me:

> >. . . Wrong on both counts.  Getting it out legally would be nice--it's
> >a great *fallback* position--but that's not the object of the game. . .

> Maybe of your game.  My game is to get cryptography available to all,
> without violating the law. . . .
> 
> By violating the law, you give them the chance to brand you "criminal," and
> ignore/encourage others to ignore what you have to say.

Do you think your fastidious compliance with the law will keep them from 
branding you a criminal, anyway?  Wake up.

The whole purpose of wide-spread availability and use of strong crypto is 
to what "others" say or think, irrelevant.  Strong crypto means never 
having to say you're sorry.
 
> >The Constitution and other laws are not magic talismans.  It is fantasy
> >thinking that technical compliance with the government's laws renders
> >them "completely powerless."  A Smith & Wesson beats four-of-a-kind.
> 
> I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here.  Them being the laws or
> the government?

The "them" was that of the original writer (you?), which I took to mean 
the government.  In the context of my statement, either will serve.  The 
"Smith & Wesson" statement was offered as a (humorous?) analogy.  In 
poker four-of-a-kind is a good hand only as long as everyone plays by the 
rules.  When force enters the picture, the rules--as the president's 
shills would say--"are no longer operative."

The essence of government is guns, not laws.  Get it?


 S a n d y

Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 02:24:39 -0400
   From: snyderra@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu (Bob Snyder)

   At 12:21 PM 4/27/94 -0700, Sandy Sandfort wrote:

   >The Constitution and other laws are not magic talismans.  It is fantasy
   >thinking that technical compliance with the government's laws renders
   >them "completely powerless."  A Smith & Wesson beats four-of-a-kind.

   I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here.  Them being the laws or
   the government?

He's saying that power is granted to the government by the people.
The Constitution is an agreement between the people and the
government.  As long as the government obeys the Constitution, the
people will support it.  That's why the executive branch (at very
least) swears to uphold the Constitution.

It's up to the people to ensure that the government comply with the
Constitution.  It's not the government's job to enforce the
Constitution against itself, although, the Constitution is structured
so as to present the three branches of government with a zero-sum
game.  The plan is that the easiest way a branch can get more power is
to take it from another branch.  That way, the government gets
involved with fighting amongst itself for power rather than taking
more from the people.

You might enjoy Gene Sharp's three-book set entitled _The Politics of
Nonviolent Action_.  It goes into great depth on the source of
governmental power over people.

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