[5278] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Crypto bill will harm children, boost "pedophiles"
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Zombie Cow)
Thu Jul 29 13:54:11 1999
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 12:37:57 +0300 (EEST)
From: Zombie Cow <waste@zor.hut.fi>
To: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Cc: cryptography@c2.net, cypherpunks@cyberpass.net, iufo@world.std.com,
Conspiracy Theory Research List <CTRL@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
In-Reply-To: <19990727202444.IWNK5731@alaptop.hotwired.com>
On Tue, 27 Jul 1999, Declan McCullagh wrote:
> The House committee reports:
>
> ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/thomas/cp106/hr117p5.txt
> ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/thomas/cp106/hr117p4.txt
>
> *******
>
> http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/20961.html
>
> Report: Crypto Will Harm Society
...
> "Child pornographers could distribute their
> filth unimpeded," the House Permanent
> Select Committee on Intelligence said.
Has anyone bothered to apply some simple logic to this and just
ask the geniuses what is stopping the pedophiles and terrorists
from using crypto now?
And what difference does a law make to such users, except hinder
the lawful uses of crypto, such as preventing the Chinese nuclear
espionage? I would think the government had quite the opposing
view of the necessity of strong crypto.
Criminals use guns, crypto and clothes to cover themselves,
as do the good law-abiding people to protect themselves.
So suppose they do outlaw guns, crypto and clothes. Pedophiles and
terrorists can still use clothes to hide their faces and prevent
identification. Indeed, most bank-robbers use clothes to cover their
faces even now!
The problem is, criminals still would use them for protection and only
the good, law-abiding people would walk around unarmed, unprotected
and naked - unable to cover themselves from the observing eyes of both
the criminals and the government.
What justifies such legislation and political goals?
Is the government that strives for such legislation, serving the
people like it's supposed to, or going after it's own perverse
dreams of efficient totalitarian control?
I think the real motive behind such legislation is clearly to remove
any protection the citizens may have from the eyes and fists of the
government. Too bad it also removes any protection what law-abiding
people may have from criminals, such as pedophiles and terrorists.
