The Privacy/Untraceability Sweet Spot

[Nomen Nescio]

Tim May writes:
> And in both of these examples I gave, "Nomen Nescio" took a literal 
> reading of the examples. "But Ireland is not a communist regime!" "But 
> they are not Jews!"
>
> Examples, like the half dozen I gave, are designed to convey to the 
> reader the range of uses, needs, and justifications. The specific stands 
> for the general.
>
> Both Nomen and Aimee are remarkably block-headed in seeing the big 
> picture.

You need to read your own posting more carefully:

> Draw this graph I outlined. Think about where the markets are for tools 
> for privacy and untraceability. Realize that many of the "far out' sweet 
> spot applications are not necessarily immoral: think of freedom fighters 
> in communist-controlled regimes, think of distribution of birth control 
> information in Islamic countries, think of Jews hiding their assets in 
> Swiss bank accounts, think of revolutionaries overthrowing bad 
> governments, think of people avoiding unfair or confiscatory taxes, 
> think of people selling their expertise when some guild says they are 
> forbidden to.

You yourself were the one who raised the issue of morality.
Your examples were intended to be cases of "sweet spot" (that is,
profitable) applications which were also morally acceptable.  It is
entirely appropriate in that context to examine whether these examples
meet the test of both being profitable and moral.

When you were asked where were all the supposed wealthy freedom fighters
in communist controlled regimes, you came back with Osama bin Laden.

Do you think that bin Laden, if he succeeded, would bring in an era of
enlightened government supporting individual liberties?  The man is a
religious fanatic.  He is associated with the Taliban in Afghanistan,
which he helped put into power.  This is the same Taliban which has
destroyed priceless cultural treasures because they were not Islamic,
forbids women to work or attend school, and sends armed police to attack
when men and women eat in the same room behind closed doors.

Oh, and last week they banned the Internet.

Osama bin Laden, a perfect poster child for the cypherpunks.

We're definitely not seeing the same "big picture" if you think he is
a good example of someone cypherpunks should support.