Well said, Eric. There's no reason for people to assume that "We're all [fill in name of your political faction] here." We've got a common goal/program and happily we agree on many of the most crucial political issues. Everything seems to work fine without subtle swipes at other people's views or egocentric assumptions about what we all believe. Some people on this list, for example, are staunch anti-capitalists, but we're polite enough to hold off on the capitalist- and spectacle-bashing rhetoric because we generally respect other people's views and realize that there's no good in it. Recently, one bonehead posted a message stating, in effect, that this is an Extropian list. That is, of course, nonsense, but even more, it's obnoxious, egomaniacal, and pointless. This is a very diverse list, but I think we know what assumptions are NOT shared by everyone. Your remark did seem like a blatant taunt, Perry. --Dave.

From: hughes@ah.com (Eric Hughes)

...

Charge you for performing services? Shudder -- how horrible! Capitalism! Ohmygod!

I count this comment as an intentional misreading of my position.

I am not a libertarian, nor is it likely that I ever will be. I've also read E. F. Schumacher's _Small is Beautiful_ and thought much of it was just plain wrong, or, at best, unprovable.

I read your words as an attempt to enforce a sort of libertarian political correctness, as insulting as that phrase will no doubt be to you.

The agenda of privacy is orthogonal to most partisan political positions. As strong as the libertarian presence is on this list, it is by no means the only view. It is precisely because cypherpunk issues cut clean across the political spectrum that they are so powerful.

I expect no one here to wear seamless garments of any cut or cloth.

There are many on this list whose personal agendas call for making the world safe for greater accumulations of capital. This is not at all my agenda, yet I have put aside my repugnance at this in pursuit of a common goal. While I expect no one to hold to any particular view, I do expect that everyone here treat opposing views with respect, or better yet, with silence.