Re: The Esther Dyson Flap

[Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>]

At 09:42 AM 9/3/96 -0700, Timothy C. May wrote:

>However, as I said, if the top spokesman at EFF gives indication of having
>views pretty much 180 degrees out of phase with our views, it's likely
>we'll speak up and oppose her (or him), and perhaps even suggest that other
>EFF board members look into the matter. "Free speech" is not even an issue.

Everyone please take a deep breath.  Slow down.  Reread Esther's comments.
Count to 10.  Notice that nowhere does she call for state action to outlaw
anonymity.  She explicitly predicted a place for anonymity in her CFP'95
talk (is it on the Net anywhere?).  We may disagree with her predictions of
the future scope of anonymity or with her concerns about the risks of the
practice but she has never called for State action.  She is discussing the
problems she perceives with it.  That's all.

Poor Esther, Forbes swatted her last week for her prediction that the Net
kills copyright and now some of us are swatting her for her prediction that
many of the future Net transactions will be non-anonymous.  She may be wrong
in this prediction but so what.

Remember she is from the soft left.  She is not a macho-flash radical
libertarian like many of us.  Save the 155 MM howitzers for the armed
opposition not for our allies.

DCF