(Not much Cypherpunks content, but I'll make it brief) Peter Murphy writes: ...much stuff elided...
I think that one of the biggest crutches that the NSA and others use to infringe YOUR privacy is "The War on Drugs". It should be stopped, and now! Not only is it unsuccessful, not only is it hypocritical (I wince when I see those "Winners don't use drugs!" messages on video games), but it has also blinded a lot of people into supporting attacks on YOUR privacy. If it is
Here in Oceania (Orwell's name), the War on (Some) Drugs has caused kids to be sent through a mandatory 12-week anti-drug brainwashing program called "D.A.R.E.," for "Drug Abuse Resistance Education." The schools administer this (my sister's stepson went through it in Kalifornia and spouted anti-drug slogans for a few weeks....then he realized the stupidity of it and is probably now more inclinded to try drugs just as a counterreaction to the dweebs who gave the class). In theory, the little junior Pavel Morozovs learn how to spot signs of drug use in their parents, how to "Just Say No" to such dangerous drugs as aspirin (illegal to have aspirin or Tylenol in most public schools, even with note from parent), and how to dial a toll-free number to call in the narcs and drug warriors. Anyway, I have long wanted to get a t-shirt or sweatshirt silk-screened with "D.A.R.E." on it, as so many phony parents are now parent (I think the kiddies get gold stars if they sell one of these shirts to their parents). But *my* shirt would go something like this: "D. rugs A. re R. eality E. nhancers" I figure this'd shake a few folks up! (I wonder which states such a shirt is now illegal in?) I'm not really into drugs, but I hate this kind of sanctimonious preaching (the DARE propaganda), and I'd love to see the reaction of these phonies at the gym I go to. The War on (Some) Drugs is clearly being used for no-knock searches, deadly raids, seizure of property grossly out of proportion to the alleged crimes (and sometime the property is simply forfeited and a trial is never held--I can't understand how this is done, or upheld by courts), and other such travesties. As Phil Karn put it, "national security" is the root password of the Constitution--invoke it and the Constitution is bypassed. To this we can add "drug war," "money laundering," and "banned weapons." Maybe even "unauthorized crypto." -Tim P.S. Speaking of t-shirts...maybe we ought to think about some Cypherpunks shirts? -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^756839 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. Note: I put time and money into writing this posting. I hope you enjoy it.