[12634] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Personal attacks are no substitute for logical consistency
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Karl Denninger)
Wed May 25 00:16:11 1994
From: karl@mcs.com (Karl Denninger)
To: frezza@radiomail.net (Bill Frezza)
Date: Tue, 24 May 1994 16:37:42 -0500 (CDT)
Cc: eff-board@eff.org, com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: <199405241246.AA01902@radiomail.net> from "Bill Frezza" at May 24, 94 05:46:20 am
> Folks,
>
> As you know, over the past few months I have been endeavoring to get the EFF
> to clarify the principles behind their sweeping call for massive government
> intervention in the burgeoning Information Business. I have in
> particular tried to get them to spell out the mechanisms by which Guaranteed
> Universal Service is to be financed.
>
> After meeting with Danny Weitzner of the EFF I finally got him to admit
> that their policy recommendations can and will inexorably lead to the
> imposition of an info-tax. Danny, to his credit, felt that such a tax to
> be used to supply services to the "information have-nots", was
> justified based on the social outcome he desired. While disagreeing with
> him vehemently I applauded his honesty and the logical consistency of his
> position.
>
> I carefully posted the results of this conversation on com-priv asking Danny
> and the EFF to comment and clarify.
>
> What was the result?
>
> Silence from Dan, more fluff from Stanton, and a vituperative personal
> attack from one of EFF's founders. I thought I would share the latter
> with you (below).
That figures.
My basic position on this is that the Electronic Freedom Foundation has
deceived its members. They do not stand for freedom in any way, shape or
form. Freedom is not a euphanism for entitlement.
As far as I'm concerned all current members who feel that a broad-based
information tax, which would DESTROY the current Internet industry, is
unacceptable should immediately rip up their cards and mail back the pieces.
This organization, which has given the public a pretense of supporting
freedom by taking a very few carefully crafted legal cases, has shown its
true colors.
Run fast, run hard, and run away.
I didn't trust them from the start. It looks like my mistrust was well
placed.
Let's start a REAL EFF. One without the current louses that govern the
"foundation" that exists today, and one which puts their money and effort
where we, the netizens, think it should go -- towards ensuring the FREEDOM
(including the freedom to conduct commerce without undue encumberance) of
this place.
That means being legislatively active to extend the freedom that other
publishers and librarians have. Not taking carefully selected "plum" cases
to "prove" their intentions. Rather, working to get the legislative action
necessary to extend the Bill of Rights to cyberspace.
--
--
Karl Denninger (karl@MCS.Net)| MCSNet - The Finest Internet Connectivity
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