Re: NRC Cryptography Report: The Text of the Recommendations

[Jeremey Barrett <jeremey@forequest.com>]

On Thu, 30 May 1996, jim bell wrote:

> At 10:42 AM 5/30/96 -0700, John Gilmore wrote:
> >Recommendation 2:  National cryptography policy should be developed by
> >the executive and legislative branches on the basis of open public
> >discussion and governed by the rule of law.
> 
> Why is it that we even need a "national cryptography policy"?  We don't have 
> a "national beer policy," do we?  A "national furniture policy"?  A 
> "national pencil policy"?  A "national movie policy"?
> 
> The very concept of a "national cryptography policy" implies a level of 
> centrally-controlled interest that is unjustified given our constitutution and laws.
> 
> Jim Bell
> jimbell@pacifier.com
> 

I agree completely... the existence of a "national cryptography policy"
is a basic violation of the civil rights of every citizen in this country,
and should be dealt with as such.  The only reason for a government to
control the use of cryptography is to prevent its citizens from protecting
themselves against the activities of that government. 

It's analogous to removing freedom of public assembly.

The government "relaxing" crypto controls is like Hitler saying, "ok, ok,
I promise not to be SUCH a fascist."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Jeremey Barrett
Senior Software Engineer			jeremey@forequest.com 
The ForeQuest Company       			http://www.forequest.com/

   "less is more."
		-- Mies van de Rohe.

   Ken Thompson has an automobile which he helped design.  Unlike most
   automobiles, it has neither speedometer, nor gas gage, nor any of the
   numerous idiot lights which plague the modern driver.  Rather, if the
   driver makes any mistake, a giant "?" lights up in the center of the
   dashboard.  "The experienced driver", he says, "will usually know
   what's wrong."

		-- 'fortune` output