I'm probably just stating things that have been hashed out here long ago, but I'll voice my opinions anyway...

There's no question about the thugs *arriving*. They're already here. Fighting them is an internal political battle, not an external battle. Yes they're clueless about the net, so in that sense you might see the CDAmeisters as an "invasion," but I really don't buy this stuff about

Clueless about the net? I'd say Congress and the "CDAmeisters" are, but the NSA most certainly isn't.

Cyberspace (a word only Barlow can say with a straight face) being a new "place." It's just a communications medium, no more and no less real than anything else. I think it would be better to stress that the online *is* real life. Your money and gigs of information about you is online. It can

With ATM machines and the like, "Cyberspace is where your money is". I don't remember who said that. Cyberspace used to be a good word to use, but it's been cliche'ed by the technotrendies. :(

be a force for freedom, or a force for totalitarianism. Right now, the momentum is entirely in the wrong direction, both online and in "real life."

The media coverage of the sensationalist (violent and/or sexual) crime has given the law makers and enforcers an excuse to step things up. It's not quite as bad up here in Canada, but where the US goes, Canada (and probably the rest of the world) usually follows. <RANT><PARANOIA> I'm particulary concerned about Clipper and it's variants... It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Real Criminals will use Real Encryption (IMHO Real != Escrowed) even if Real Encryption is illegal... Surely the NSA knows that Real Crypto will be just as easy to find as pirated software, and criminals will use it. Thus, Clipper will only enable the government (most likely the NSA) to spy on law abiding citizens. </PARANOIA> I think it would be paranoid to assume the above, but naive to ignore it. Clipper may be some sinister plot by the NSA to grab power, or... <NAIVE> It may just be a last ditch effort to maintain the power they already have. After all, nobody wants to lose their job, and the NSA is no different from the rest of us in that regard. </NAIVE></RANT> This is my first post to the Cypherpunks... So what government black lists does this get me on? "To remove yourself from the Black List, send email to listserv@fbi.gov with the command UNSUBSCRIVE FBI-SUBVERSIVE-GROUPS" ;)