Death Threats

[tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)]

(I don't know what the hell this thread has to do with "[NOISE] Kiddie porn
on the Internet," so I've changed the name.)

At 9:22 PM 9/21/96, Mark M. wrote:

>Do you really consider speech to be "dangerous."  The law requiring
>investigation of threats against the president is a stupid one.  The maintainer
>of the exploding head page was investigated by the USSS after putting up
>computer-generated pictures of Bob Dole's head exploding (Presidential
>candidates are also covered under this law).  There's too much potential for
>abuse.

Hey, I'm a candidate for President, too (at least I know of someone who
plans to vote for me). Does this mean I am protected against various
threats, and veiled threats? Let me know, as I seem to be under attack by
certain Russian-developed spambots.

More seriously, the whole set of protections the President has is
inconsistent with our nominally anti-royalist approach. Of course, America
long ago created its own royalty. Even dynasties (how else do you explain
Teddy Kennedy getting away with the Mary Jo Kopechne thing?).

Actively (and plausibly) threatening _anyone_ is a kind of crime (*), but
there is no reason to make special laws covering certain persons.

(* Why do I say "actively (and plausibly) threatening _anyone_ is a kind of
crime"? Don't I believe in free speech? Well, if I hear that Vladimir G.
Nulis says I should be killed, and that he is coming to California to take
care of this, I have no compunctions, liberrarian or otherwise, about
shooting first at the first sign of his appearance on my property.
Understandably, the government does not wish this to happen. Thus, I have
no problem with illegalizing direct and concrete threats. General threats,
such as "all lawyers should be taken out into the parking lot and garotted"
are not specific, direct, and concrete, and hence fall under the free
speech provisions.)

--Tim May

We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."