---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The True Story of the InterNet Part III InfoWar Final Frontier of the Digital Revolution Behind the ElectroMagnetic Curtain by TruthMonger <tm@dev.null> Copyright 1997 Pearl Publishing ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- InfoWar Table of Contents * Anarchist Post of the Century * Anarchist Post of the Century ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anarchist Post of the Century ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Freedom of Encryption: Is it SAFE? From: "Michael Pierson" <wfgodot@advicom.net> To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- There has been much discussion recently concerning how to fix certain flaws, or block various amendments in encryption legislation being shepherded through Congress. A far more fundamental problem with these legislative efforts from the beginning was that they involved an implicit concession to the idea that a U.S. citizen's freedom to privately exchange information in whatever coding scheme he or she might choose required some kind of government affirmation or ratification as validation. Once one seeks for the government's deigning to "affirm the rights of United States persons to use and sell encryption", it can (and does) then easily proceed to attach conditions and caveats to these "affirmed" rights. In the process the surveillance hawks within the government have managed, with hardly any struggle, to advance the appearance of legitimacy for their claims of authority to regulate this form of expression. Now comes an expectation that the nature of these "affirmed rights" should be tailored to address "the concerns of national security and the federal law enforcement community." This same community has on occasion complained about how their efforts to fight organized crime and terrorism are being thwarted by not having the modern newspeak disguised equivalent of "Writs of Assistance" (and they are arguably making progress toward acquiring just such powers IMO). Very few politicians are willing to commit the heresy of clearly and staunchly asserting that the information coding methods used by citizens are under no obligation to pass any litmus test, or to be subject to any kind of prior approval or restraint determined by criteria of the law enforcement establishment or anyone else. If the Feds lament that this will make their job harder, too bad. In the words of Orson Welles: "Only in a police state is the job of a policeman easy." When these various legislative efforts attempted to reach beyond the issues of export restrictions to address those of domestic use, they became a doubtful and dangerous fix to something that wasn't broke in the first place. If the Government is intent on "abridging the freedom" to use strong encryption domestically, a legislative affirmation of these rights is feeble comfort at best. If I'm seeking to protect my possessions, I don't ask a thief to affirm my property rights. Of course, even the export question is really about the aims of the state's surveillance constituency to obstruct the wide deployment of strong encryption domestically, and its interoperability on the internet as a whole. Challenging the derisible bogosity of the "preventing the Evil Ones from acquiring this technology" rationale that is invoked to justify these restrictions was not something legislation was likely to do with any great vigor. Legislation to "relax" these restrictions involves lending credence to the dubious assumption that these restrictions had any constitutional validity to begin with. Any bill that would have truly provided for the statutory endorsement of the acceptably uncompromised use of strong encryption never really had much more than a snowball's chance in hell of actually being signed into law given the current political balance of power, did it? Far more likely, was that it could be corrupted and hijacked as a vehicle to further the very type of restrictions it was purportedly intended to relieve. A collateral consequence is an increased arrogance and presumption among lawmakers that it is their prerogative to act to define for us citizens, what freedoms for domestic use of encryption we should be permitted. The growing gallery of GAK amendments and competing legislative proposals now emerging appears to support this sad scenario. It's starting to look like the prospects for meaningfully improving the situation with encryption legislation in the current political environment were about as promising as the prospects of a neophyte gambler coming out ahead at a crooked casino. I expect any apparent winnings in the end will come with a catch between the lines in the fine print, if they come at all. In any case, whatever is legislatively affirmed can later be legislatively denied. What a King presumes is his to grant, he usually presumes is his to revoke as well. In the end, what will have really been gained by this legislative venture, and what will have been explicitly or implicitly surrendered? As I see it, at this point the issue isn't about counting wins, it's about cutting losses. Freedom of encryption.... Is it SAFE? I don't think so. -Michael -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3a Charset: noconv iQCVAwUBNDVks9GJlWF+GPx9AQGctwQAlE+SKB3/rqG7kz3qdcF2I5eBedz3/DDK f5Vg0Zd8PbhowwT9gWAvyt+ysIZCqRJWMu3vPmWP2iN2ZghLaiGRVv8piXhyUQYl rhv/rOz1Yc1raJbU5Wk+9Qr9zxQqxHZiAk1G0Irye4yDfi72ar8ndD5CqUegBnaF QAoyFGtiJZ4= =2zJO -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anarchist Post of the Century ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: DejaVu: Cypherpunks as Philosopher Kings From: "Attila T. Hun" <attila@hun.org> Reply-To: "Attila T. Hun" <attila@primenet.com> Organization: home for unpenitent hackers; no crackers! To: "Timothy C. May" <tcmay@got.net>, cypherpunks <cypherpunks@cyberpass.net> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- ten months ago: on or about 961218:1123 "Timothy C. May" <tcmay@got.net> purported to expostulate: +_Direct action_ is what it's all about. Undermining the state through +the spread of espionage networks, through undermining faith in the tax +system, through even more direct applications of the right tools at the +right times. + +When Cypherpunks are called "terrorists," we will have done our jobs. [Tim] said this before Christmas last year as an erudite and lengthy addendum to my lengthy tome: "Cypherpunks as Philosophy Kings" that pretty well summed our generally mutually agreed "philosophy". both were and still are worth reading; anybody who does not have copies, ask. but cypherpunk terrorists are not violent; this is all about making information free and protecting privacy with technology. despite the fact the Commerce Committee effectively killed SAFE (or we think they did until Oxley tries to tack his amendment structure on an appropriations bill in a house-senate conference or "manager's mark" procedure (whatever that is)), we can not drop the due diligence, and the public must be aroused, called to battle. even if there is no action, prepare for the next fire drill. sow the seeds of dissension. seems to me we were sure the CDA was dead --except it slipped in with a manager's mark after the house voted almost unanimously the other way (402-12 or something like that). the capitol hill sleaze took a grand slam NO and reported an even worse yes, making it part of a major bill that absolutely was going to pass --and they have the gall to call that travesty democracy? Teddy Roosevelt: "It is difficult to make our material condition better by the best law, but it is easy enough to ruin it by bad laws." Tim's message for Christmas last was the prophetic call for direct action; legal action; empowerment action: Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954), U.S. Judge: "It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error." CYPHERPUNKS MUST BE THE JOHNNY APPLESEED OF THE INFORMATION AGE. the sleazeball, who intends to make J Edgar look like a piker at surveillance, has the gleam of unabridged power in his eyes. Louis F[reeh,uck] is charming, even disarming, as he tells a Congressional committee: "We are potentially the most dangerous agency in the country if we are not scrutinized carefully." (Jun '97) meaning the FBI will be the most powerful [feared] federal agency? really? I thought it was already, although the DEA and BATF have worked hard for the title, too. Supreme Justice Louis O. Brandeis said: "The greatest danger to liberty lurks in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." and the [London] Electronic Telegraph, on Sunday's front page: Mr. Freeh has won $370 million (ú230 million) of funding for 2,000 new posts, boosted the number of active agents to more than 11,000, and expanded open-ended "domestic security operations" from 100 in 1995 to more than 800. Twenty-three new FBI offices are opening abroad. and more: But none of this will contain the director's ambitions or his power. He is now believed to be eyeing two other "secret police" forces - the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms - with a long-term view to a takeover. F[reeh,uck] holds the key to the Clinton's' ambitions; the Clintons cite the Roosevelts as their mentors; Hillary even communes with the long dead Eleanor. Bubba's stated goals included extending FDR's "chicken in every pot" --he's just appeasing the crowd now. Leopards do not change their spots, but Bubba has shifted to the right with public opinion; he is just like the leopard: playing with his food until sufficient presidential powers have been accumulated by the default of Congress and the people. But, the INFORMATION REVOLUTION now stands in way of the Clinton plans; the Internet can destroy the media control now exercised by the acquiescence of the five Jewish media barons. In fact, it is destroying their monopoly. THE CONTROL OF INFORMATION IS THE CONTROL OF POWER. Why does F[reeh,uck] hold the key? Because his job is to sell the Congress on strangling the information revolution before it destroys truthless governments F[reeh,uck]'s masters understand and control. Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated on 4 Mar 33 stating: "I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures that a stricken nation in the midst of a stricken world may require. These measures, or such other measures as the Congress may build out of its experience and wisdom, I shall seek, within my constitutional authority, to bring to speedy adoption. But in the event that the Congress shall fall to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe." and, on 9 Mar 33, 5 days later, FDR extracted from an uniformed and essentially special session of Congress: "Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress hereby declares that a serious emergency exists and that it is imperatively necessary speedily to put into effect remedies of uniform national application." which was based on the War Powers Act (trading with the Enemy) of 1917 which was hastily revised to include US Citizens which had been exempted. Next, FDR "franchised" the banks, "licensed" agriculture and so on. But, to render the citizens powerless and to confiscate all assets so the national state was the ultimate owner, and therefore able to pledge the people for credit to the international bankers, the fundamental monetary system changed: "Whenever in the judgment of the Secretary of the Treasury, such action is necessary to protect the currency system of the United States, the Secretary of the Treasury, in his discretion, may require any or all individuals, partnerships, associations and corporations to pay and deliver to the Treasurer of the United States any or all gold coin, gold bullion, and gold certificates owned by such individuals, partnerships, associations and corporations." which closed the loop and made every US citizen chattel as FDR pledged the good faith and credit of the United States to the international bankers --in return, an unbelievable flood of credit was available since the good faith and credit of the United States is "We the People...." but FDR sold us downstream into a debt financed economy from which there is no escape; we are still there, the debt service is destroying any permanent economy AND total collapse under the debt load is bequeathed to our children. Congress repealed FDR's rubber stamp for the "President" in 1973, but the War Powers Act remains, still modified to treat US citizens as the enemy. and the power of the "President" to make those regulations, and the automatic approval are enshrined for current and future Presidents in Title 12 USC 95(b) "The actions, regulations, rules, licenses, orders and proclamations heretofore or hereafter taken, promulgated, made, or issued by the President of the United States or the Secretary of the Treasury since March the 4th, 1933, pursuant to the authority conferred by subdivision (b) of Section 5 of the Act of October 6, 1917, as amended, are hereby approved and confirmed." The real issue is the President and the fat cat power brokers can get away with these shenanigans __as_long_as_the_people_let_them__. We are still under the Rule of Necessity. We are still in a declared state of national emergency, a state of emergency which has existed, uninterrupted, since 1933. FDR's licensing agencies were rather trivial in number; today there are thousands of them, many with their own administrative courts. FDR took away our common law when he bankrupted America, which is a national corporation under the Hague convention (courtesy of Stanton and Seward after the Civil War). Bankruptcy is a contract, and we are the bait, subject to that court, which is in effect an Admiralty court, and we are "licensed" to literally exist by FDR's Social Security Number schema. and every courtroom now flies the fringed Admiralty flag where habeas corpus is a privilege, not a right, if it exists at all. This is the importance of Louis F[reeh,uck]. He, and Janet Reno as the DOJ rubber stamp, are holding the collar for your neck. They are selling it to you little by little, or even all at once. Why Louis F[reeh,uck]? Madison Avenue style with credentials; he can sell the program. F[reeh,uck] is the front man, the schill. Machiavelli, in his "Discourses of Livy," acknowledged that great power may have to be given to the Executive if the State is to survive, but warned of great dangers in doing so. He cautioned: Nor is it sufficient if this power be conferred upon good men; for men are frail, and easily corrupted, and then in a short time, he that is absolute may easily corrupt the people." sleazeball's comments are scarfed by Congress, sleazeball's candor rocks their cradles, sleazeball shows them private morality plays about a populace running wild with crypto-anarchy, running wild to burn out the offices of central power... in other words: DEPRIVE THEM CONGRESSCRITTERS OF THEIR FREE LUNCH AND IMMUNITY. is it not odd that the more the government tries to abridge our free speech rights, the more they want to confiscate our weapons? free speech is a weapon of democracy! privacy is a weapon of democracy! cryptography is a weapon of democracy! We are not fighting with guns and explosives this time, armed insurrection against the power of the Federal government is suicidal --we are fighting for our lives and the right to live our lives with words: the ability to hear those words _before_ government censors and spin doctors render them useless lies. Bubba can not win a war of truth and information; we can/ The Marquis de Sade: Are not laws dangerous which inhibit the passions? Compare the centuries of anarchy with those of the strongest legalism in any country you like and you will see that it is only when the laws are silent that the greatest actions appear. however, anarchy is the key word that ignites even the ACLU against your cause; it even makes bedfellows of Pat Buchanann and the homosexual/priest/congressman from Massachusetts... pure anarchy, by definition, does not work, anyway. forget it. get the concept out of your systems as it inflames everyone and all other reason is lost in the screaming and police batons. Even Teddy Roosevelt called for the complete extermination of anarchists, to be hunted like vermin. give it up; or go to your private island and fly your rattlesnake flag. even Anguilla will not tolerate anarchists. just give us our REAL constitutional rights as Franklin, Madison, Jefferson, Adams, and friends intended; give us constitutionalists on the Supreme Court, not bleeding hearts, statists, and central power freaks. get the Feds out of cradle to grave big government and let the people determine their religion and morality. give us freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, freedom from unreasonable searches, freedom not to incriminate ourselves, and repeal the 14th Amendment so we can have states' rights again. if our Constitution were permitted to govern as it was intended, and the states obeyed the precepts endowed to not further limit the rights of the people, America would be the home of the free, not big government, not freeloaders and the welfare state; not the leftovers of a once great nation. give us the rights Abraham Lincoln cherished lovingly: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." let _them_, not me, live the downside. George Washington, in his farewell address, warned: "... change by usurpation; for through this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed." cypherpunk philosopher kings: pick up your picks and shovels, get your hands dirty, and start digging in; it's going to be a long and difficult campaign and the tactics needed to expose F[reeh,uck]'s true intentions as the schill for the Clintons who are schills for the elitist leading the destruction of American democracy. The Congressional compromise love match season isn't over yet; the schmoozers and lobbyists, like so many furry rats, still wander the dark halls and tunnels looking for the last, late in the season, clandestine and obscene fuck. any whore will do. lobbyists have long reputations for selling out the interests of their paymasters; the lobbyists are so much a part of the Washington culture that they have _no_ morality or moral position --it is all about who they can claim to have influenced --what difference does it make if it is contrary to the client --the art of the deal, protect their own position and find newer, richer clients --whores! logrolling and porkbarrel voting --but never go home without a deal; used car salesmanship: get your man. I can hear the lobbyists whining now as they are called on the carpet: "aw, come on Mac, we got you a compromise from LEA demands..." never realizing that there is such an action as NO bill, they sell out half our rights blocking legislation which would never happen. they claim they got back half. what half? --some unknown half that we _never_ lost! that is why: The 10 Commandments contain 297 words. The Bill of Rights is stated in 463 words. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address contains 266 words; and: A recent federal directive to regulate the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words. (The Atlanta Journal) send the quisling Neville Chamberlains to the gas chambers! the public needs to be educated, not in crypto, but in the horrors of an oligarchy which intends to destroy the fundamental freedoms on which we stand. publish his credit records; publish his medical records --tell his neighbors about his visits from Child Protective Services... then Joe Coach Potato will figure out he needs something AFTER he figures out there are fuckors and fuckees, and he's on the short end of that stick. [pardon my French] then, and only then, will the masses understand privacy --when they have lost it. either we show the people before they lose everything to uncle, or... just dump it on the table to show everyone just how much uncle knows about _you_. Attila's thought for the day: Now, with a black jack mule you wish to harness, you walk up, look him in the eye, and hit him with a 2X4 over the left eye. If he blinks, hit him over the right eye! He'll cooperate. --so will politicians. Louis F]reeh,uck], did you really state this hoping everyone would think you are joking? "We are potentially the most dangerous agency in the country if we are not scrutinized carefully." Louis F[reeh,uck], you obviously know that telling the truth, before the truth is really the truth, disarms your opposition since they can plainly see that it is not true. there is a limit to what you can endure before you must stand to be counted --so I will loudly echo Tim's sentiment: + +When Cypherpunks are called "terrorists," we will have done our jobs. + -- "Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other." --Benjamin Franklin ______________________________________________________________________ "attila" 1024/C20B6905/23 D0 FA 7F 6A 8F 60 66 BC AF AE 56 98 C0 D7 B0 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3i Charset: latin1 Comment: No safety this side of the grave. Never was; never will be iQCVAwUBNDHgKr04kQrCC2kFAQHPpAQAj+ukWNVEXT+Zgf920g63wX9EZqT241dj KFqLQ9lBPZLRQydg/PMDcm8T0oI/RneVh51dep5v17IdJcPQT7MN+0CmX91k6e8m 7Wsd+cNVovzDx6dRsC8ghMDB1QBZdBWW9553FzB89RMfilTikCyqmoP6Tub+23/V QywxUxa3slA= =U4tV -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Copyright "Anonymous TruthMonger <at@dev.null>" "Do you feel 'Cypher' Punk? Well do you?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The Xenix Chainsaw Massacre" "WebWorld & the Mythical Circle of Eunuchs" "InfoWar (Part III of 'The True Story of the InterNet') Soviet Union Sickle of Eunuchs Secret WebSite ----------------------------------------------------------------------------