_________________________________________________________________ FROM THE VIRTUAL DESK OF SANDY SANDFORT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Theodore Ts'o wrote: ". . . I don't like censorship in any form. But disclosing who sent a particular piece of anonymous mail is not the same as censorship." How about FORCING a third-party to make such a disclosure? It seems Ted would ask or force remailers to be the nets' policemen. If remailers are required to compromise the anonymity of their service, the "chilling" effect on speech IS censorship. ". . . there are people who believe . . . that libel and slander laws shouldn't exist. But it's not fair to call that a mainstream position. And it is unreasonable to assume that as an axiom." I never claimed that such a position was "mainstream" nor assumed it was an "axiom." I don't think I've seen ANY "ad populum" arguments (other than Ted's) on Cypherpunks, we tend to think for ourselves. ". . . *MOST PEOPLE* also don't believe that the right to privacy is absolute. It certainly isn't explicitly listed in the *U.S. CONSTITUTION"*. (Emphasis added.SS) Our desire for privacy is not the result of a *popularity contest* nor is it an argument from *authority*. Rather, it is derived from the logical requirements of freedom. "But in order to punish the perpetrators, it is first necessary to *identify* the perpetrators......" RE-READ my post, Ted. S a n d y ssandfort@attmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~