Jamie Lawrence wrote:

This is something I have been meaning to write to the list for several weeks, and this post is the perfect lead in. When I joined this list, I saw thought it was going to be much different. I had assumed 1) that people on this list would have much different politics and 2) that that wouldn't really matter, 'cause everyone here is concerned with one issue, which we could all agree on. 2) seems to have partially true, sometimes.

The list is what people make of it. Nothing more and nothing less. If you have held off on writing 'til now about topics that are of great interest to you, then why are you surprised that the topics others write about don't match your interests?

Without expounding at lengths, my reaction was to unsubscribe on short order when I saw some of the first posts flying around. I didn't, because I try to keep an open mind and do change opinions sometimes. But not everyone who is a potential crypto supporter is gonna bother, and by tying (seemingly or not- impressions count here) the issue to a particular set of other beliefs, there is a huge chance that others are going to be alienated. I know *I* don't want to be associated with libertarianism or (even worse) Perot...

Nobody's asking you to be "associated with libertarianism," for example. That many of us are libertarian-oriented is hardly surprising, this being the Net. And the nonlibertarians are welcome, but they seldom make persuasive arguments contradiciting the lib. views, in my opinion. Certain non-lib (though *I* call him libertarian!) folks like Dave Mandl are very welcome here, and make their views known.

The point is that even if you think anyone with a viewpoint opposing yours is automatically stupid and not worth your time (and I don't think that too many of you are that bad off ;), aren't they at least worth using to further something you believe strongly in? It might do well to be careful in alienating potential allys by flip political jokes and comments.

I don't know if this is a jab at me or not, perhaps for my sin of poking fun at Ross Perot.....I felt a satirical, but probably close to the truth, point about Perot's authoritarian streak would make my point better than a simple statement of my views. If you want your brand of politics discussed here, as it relates to cryptography, privacy, Clipper, etc., then *discuss* it. You can't blame others for making their own comments. --Tim May -- .......................................................................... 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: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."