-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 gep2 wrote:
There's a huge difference between a book that blows the whistle on government misdoings and abuses versus a book that gives a detailed recipe on how some disgruntled lunatic with $10 in their pocket can kill tens of thousands, maybe even millions, of other people "from your basement, in your spare time".
Oh, you mean like the volumes of research on the future of domestic terrorism and information warfare scenarios gamed and developed by analysts at the RAND Corporation, the Institute for Defense Analyses and other government FFRDC think tanks? But since the research was paid for by the DoD and RAND analysts aren't generally in the habit of selling their books to "suspicious types" at gun shows, it's somehow different, right? And if a researcher happens to wants to have a look at the $10 CD for his work or out of intellectual curiosity, you're going to have him stalked down by some cro-magnon donuteater like everyone else, or is he somehow "special status" for being a "good guy" working in a "privileged position"? And do you really think that anyone curious enough to put out ten bucks to learn about what they're up against is automatically going to trot out and do it? You equate possessing a fermentation vat full of anthrax with possessing a book about anthrax? "Ordinary folks read as they're told?" Absolutely bankrupt.
How about posts on the cypherpunks list or other fora that include more scientific or technical information than you feel comfortable with?) Depends on the nature of the information. Ultimately, it will probably require a judge or jury or some such to make the call.
But analysts inventing and debating all sorts of fiendish scenarios on an internal DoD mailing list covering potential terrorist threats and infrastructure vulnerabilities are somehow exempt and have "special status", right. Your entire plan revolves around an arbitrary decision which divides people into categories of who you like and who you don't. "If you don't believe in rights for people you despise, you don't believe in the idea of rights at all."
try to uncover if they're just "curious" as an academically interesting subject, or to see if they have a more sinister purpose.)
You're going to see whatever you want. And therefore, you'll never know.
Meanwhile, it's bastards like this guy selling these terrorism training manuals who are ultimately more part of the problem than they are part of the solution.
Banning information becuase "ordinary folks read as they're told" is a colossal problem, as big as any I can think of. People like you risk being responsible for bringing on the Dark Ages again. But then, it sure sounds like a lot of you are already there. ~Faustine. *** The right to be let alone is indeed the beginning of all freedoms. - --William O. Douglas, Associate Justice, US Supreme Court -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPsdk version 1.7.1 (C) 1997-1999 Network Associates, Inc. and its affiliated companies. (Diffie-Helman/DSS-only version) iQA/AwUBO/7VXfg5Tuca7bfvEQIzUQCg4yeT17ExJWb8yGpSZfY67UiWW4kAoJUA X407T11qXOjgowtad5/h2Yjk =V8AC -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----