Cindy Cohn wrote:
During a conference call with counsel today, Judge Patel issued a stay of the injunctive relief issued in her Opinion of August 25, 1997, effective until September 8.
Judge Patel has effectively agreed that, although Americans have a Constitutional right to Free Speech within the confines of U.S. borders, this Constitutional right stops at the edge of the ElectroMagnetic Curtain that D.C. has built to imprison the words and thoughts of its citizens. The government's LEA's now have enough dictatorial powers to invade our privacy, listen surreptitiously to our conversations and track our movements, as long as we remain at home, but they fear losing their power over the citizens if our thoughts and words are allowed to escape beyond the reach of the government's power to spy on us. Department of Justice For Immediate Release Tuesday, August 26, 1997
But, as President Clinton stated upon issuing an Executive Order on this subject on November 15, 1996, the use of encryption products by unfriendly parties outside the United States can jeopardize the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States, and public safety of U.S. citizens.
Is President Clinton trying to tell us that the spies who have managed to infiltrate our governments security agencies, and the terrorists who have managed to escape law enforcement's grasp, are not capable of acquiring strong encryption despite his pretentious, unconstitutional posturing? Is Wiggling Willie suggesting that foreign spies and terrorists are not as capable and experienced with computers and the InterNet as the American children who have no problem finding foreign sources of strong encryption? Would the Law Enforcement Agencies of this country have us believe that they cannot keep drug dealers from bringing _mountains_ of drugs _into_ America, but that denying American citizens their right to privacy will prevent drug dealers from smuggling a 3 1/2 inch disk with strong encryption on it _out_ of the U.S.? I do not resent elected representatives lying to the citizens, since it is a given, but I am abhorred by the fact that these white-collar criminals no longer even feel the need to tell _good_ lies. (Could this be an indication that the press is not doing their job?) The *only* purpose that this attack on the Constitutional rights of the American Citizens serves is to keep privacy empowering software out of the hands of the citizen. It is a blatant attempt to use threats of criminality, fines and imprisonment to intimidate corporations and citizens into giving up their freedom to protect their right to free and private speech with one another, and with the citizens of other countries. TruthMonger "It's not FUD until *I* say its FUD."