Re: Self-Righteous, Self-Anointed Defenders of the Public Trust (fwd)

[nobody@shell.portal.com]

Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 05:17:24 +0000
From: "Martin L. Schoffstall" <schoff@us.psi.com>
To: weber@world.std.com (Bob Weber), com-priv@psi.com
Subject: Re: Self-Righteous, Self-Anointed Defenders of the Public Trust


I'm encouraged that you support their first amendment rights!  At Internet 
world in California a couple of weeks ago during a press conference with some 
Internet luminaries under the kleig lights of CNN and the McNeil/Leher report 
I saw first amendment issues tossed out the window - by the luminaries.

I don't intend to defend either of these individuals (other than their 1st 
amendment rights, Gordon can tell you himself how we get along like oil and 
water) but I think you are lumping two very different people together with 
two very different objectives.

Gordon's role is that of an investigative reporter, he ferrets out FACTS and 
then creates surmises as to the why's.  It you read his publications and 
messages it is pretty easy to differentiate the facts from the surmises.  
This is appropriate.

Gordon reported a fact which IS interesting to many people - a "NewYork" NAP 
in NJ almost in PA very close to an infamous NSA facility.

Here is another one to add to his collection - in 1992 MFS bought a competive 
CAP in DC who's principal fiber plant connected many Federal facilities 
including all the hush hush ones.  This company had many security cleared 
staff and facilities.  These facilites are now merged with the commercial MFS 
facilities in a manner that is NOT known to the general public.

NSF has openly wiretapped the backbone of the NSFNet since day one and is 
quite proud of it.  There is a clear interest in the Federal Police Forces 
and the current administration to wiretap every communications device 
manufactured in the US, as the FBI's chief counsel, he's going to defend 
Americans through microchips.  The postal service is going to issue us all ID 
cards, and the FINCEN is all setup to take in all banking transactions in 
realtime, next step all electronic commercial financial transactions.

Historically both the NSA and the FBI have wiretapped outside of the warrant 
process and outside of the law and in the case of the NSA domestically which 
is both illegal and outside of their charter.  

How does this all fit together?  Don't know, I'm just a dirt farmer from 
upstate NY, but Gordon's got a PHD so he'll continue to work on his surmises, 
and others will too.

Having the facts is a good thing, old Jefferson would have probably agreed.

One of the requirements that every Internet service provider should put on 
their NAP contract should be that the NAP provider will not wiretap, and will 
not aid or abet any wiretap knowingly outside of a federal warrant.  Many 
people have lied for their country so this is not by any means a sure test, 
but it is a right first step.

Since you questioned both of their motivations (personal grudges), let me 
question yours - are you owned in anyway by the US government or under their 
influence (even financially) to post your message binding those two very 
different people together?  Have your or do you hold a Security clearance.

Or maybe you hold a personal grudge against Gordon?

Undoubtedly the answer is no except for the security clearance, and you can 
always lie for your country.

It just seems strange that you would think that no one is interested in 
wiretapping issues in the current enviroment where the media talks about it 
weekly.  Sitting here in the PSI Tokyo office the Japan Times has articles on 
it.

I know you don't live under a rock.

Marty