words have value, for good or ill

[Anonymous]

A ghost speaking through the medium of replay.com communicated:
>Consider: anyone might legitimately say they could understand why the
>government opposes access to cryptography.  It represents a threat to
>their monopoly power.  But if someone said they were becoming
>convinced that restrictions on access to crypto were a good thing,
>we'd be attacking them in an instant.  These are two completely
>different issues.  One is a matter of understanding evil motivations,
>which we can all benefit by.  The other is a matter of advocacy of
>evil.  That must be opposed, and in fact this list has been a strong
>force for such opposition.

I see the list as a place to discuss ideas rather than as a propaganda
vehicle or a political party.

>The problem this raises is that it is difficult to know where May
>stands on any issue.  He makes contradictory statements, refuses to
>reconcile them, even refuses to admit that they are contradictory.
>Which is his true view?  No doubt, whichever one turns out to be most
>convenient in the end.

Next you'll be telling us we should not obediently follow his every
command!  Whose side are you on?

>What a weak and childish individual this is, this man who is said to
>be the most respected of the cypherpunks.

You might be happier if you did not associate with a group of weak and
childish individuals.

I have no doubt that Tim May contradicts himself from time to time.
And, when he changes his mind he does not announce it to the list and
carefully credit each person who influenced his views.  Sometimes he
is insensitive or even rude ("chop chop").  I've never seen him
apologize, either.  Probably he doesn't have the circuits to do it.

But, so what?  He's still the most interesting contributor to the
list.  I can well understand why you don't put him in your killfile.

Perhaps instead of name calling, you should actually address a point
or two and discuss it.  If you think McVeigh did the wrong thing, it
would be interesting to hear why.  And it would interesting to hear
why you believe that a McVeigh killing innocents is wrong, but a
U.S. Air Force doing the same thing is right.

Monty Cantsin
Editor in Chief
Smile Magazine
http://www.neoism.org/squares/smile_index.html
http://www.neoism.org/squares/cantsin_10.htm

Subject: Re: words have value, for good or ill
To: cypherpunks at algebra.com
25BA1A9F5B9010DD8C752EDE887E9AF3 [Cantsin Protocol No. 2]
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