From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May) Date: Sat, 23 Jul 1994 11:40:19 -0700 (PDT)

But I do like the explicit emphasis of the connection between encyption and free speech; this is the line I use with people. To wit, "Nobody can tell me what language I have to write or speak in."

This is a neat way of expressing a good idea, but I wouldn't count on it. A language can probably be construed as something that can be understood by anyone who learns it. Even though I speak PGP, I still can't understand what you say without a key. There's probably no legal precedent for that yet, but look what they've done with the rest of the Constitution so far. Depending on technicalities to get the authoritarians to leave us alone will not work. We elect these people to serve us, but they think they are our keepers. If we actually had freedom of religion in the U.S. there would be no laws against the use of sacramental drugs, for instance. Sorry I don't have a better argument than yours for the legitimacy of government-proof encryption, but I think we need one. tw