Based on Larry Augustin's apology for cops and his avowed closeness to them, a protest is even more deserved against him if not the other participants. Larry appears to be quoting from the COPS PR manual for garnering public support to offset deserved criticism of official misbehavior. Larry is not alone in seeing the lucrative benefits of defending the giant law enforcement and national security industries, why you can read the turncoats all around the world of digital opportunity going on about the need for vigilance on the dangerous Net and worse, advocating prowling Intel-inside private computers networks to spot looming threats. As just one example see Counterpane's recent crowing about success, one of its lengthening series of warnings about the need for more and more security against the dangerous digital hordes, and less and less warnings about the need to protect against official and commercial invaders who are handing out lucrative contracts to Net security firms and professionals. Nothng like a fat bribe to convert pagans to organized terrorists screaming beware the sinners. Hmm, wasn't St. Augustine a prime role model for that crossover, as if Larry Augustin is a namesake. To be sure, informers are best recruited from the pagans for they know how to magnify the hazards of their clan. At 12:00 PM 1/19/2003 +0100, Eugen Leitl wrote:

Hold your fire for a moment. Could be hitting the wrong ones.

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 00:25:10 -0800 From: Larry M. Augustin <lma@lmaugustin.com> To: linux-elitists@zgp.org Cc: 'Don Marti' <dmarti@zgp.org>, 'Karsten M. Self' <kmself@ix.netcom.com> Subject: RE: [linux-elitists] LOCAL Stanford University: face down the DMCA enforcers

I think that it would be a big mistake to do anything that might be viewed as even the slightest bit disruptive in this venue. Further, I think you're jumping to conclusions to assume that the DMCA is relevant to these speakers.

Dennis Allison and John Wharton, both of whom I have known for years, are sympathetic to free software and sympathetic to the problems with the DMCA. Dennis regularly brings in Bruce, Eric, and Richard as speakers. I've spoken at this seminar on 2 or 3 occasions. Bruce was just there a few weeks ago talking about the RAND vs. RF patent policy issues.

Cops have a tough job. They deserve our thanks for doing a tough job. I have a number of close friends who are cops. I think they deserve more benefit of doubt than "Target the _speakers_ and _philosophy_". It doesn't sound like these are people that write the laws or make policy. Maybe they spend their time fighting real computer crime like identity theft and crackers. They deserve our support in that job.

Has anyone talked to Dennis? Before jumping to any conclusions, or organizing any kind of protest or demonstration, talk to Dennis.

Larry