Nobody will debate John Gilmore on crypto?

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

[John Gilmore stopped by for this afternoon's crypto gathering to update us
on the Bernstein lawsuit. Seems odd to me that he can't find someone to
defend the administration's stance on encryption, especially since NSA's
headquarters is close to the University of Maryland. --Declan]

==============

Subject: Gilmore speech in Baltimore on encryption policy, Tues night
   Date: Sat, 13 Dec 1997 21:35:12 -0800
   From: John Gilmore <gnu@toad.com>
     To: cme@cybercash.com, declan@well.com

From: "Dr. Alan Sherman" <sherman@cs.umbc.edu>

   The UMBC Security Technology Research Group presents

        Two Divergent Views on Encryption Policy:

I.  Wisdom and Constitutionality in U.S. Cryptography Policy
 John Gilmore, Co-Founder, Electronic Frontier Foundation

II. A Government Perspective on Encryption Policy
 [Will anyone from the U.S. Government agree to speak??*]

Two divergent views on the topic of encryption policy by
freedom activist John Gilmore and by a government official,
if one agrees to speak.  Journalist Peter Wayner will
moderate the event, which is free and open to the public.
  Note: If no one from the U.S. Government is willing to
explain and discuss Government encryption policy, then the
event will proceed with John Gilmore alone.

  8-10:30 pm
  Tuesday, December 16, 1997
  Lecture Hall III (in Administration Building)
  University of Maryland Baltimore County
  http://www.cs.umbc.edu/events/fall97/crypto.shtml

The fifth employee of Sun Microsystems and a strong believer
in the U.S. Constitution, John Gilmore is currently involved
in litigation against several government agencies over
matters of freedom of information, freedom of expression,
and encryption policies.  He will discuss the
constitutionality of controlling encryption.

Directions: Take Exit #47B off interstate I-95 and follow
signs to UMBC.  LH III is on the ground floor of the (tall)
administration building, adjacent the visitor's parking
lot, near the I-95 entrance to UMBC.

Host: Dr. Alan T. Sherman
      Associate Professor, Computer Science
      sherman@cs.umbc.edu
      http://www.umbc.edu
      (410) 455-2666

     This event is held in cooperation with the UMBC
               Intellectual Sports Council
                       Honors College
               Phi Beta Kappa honors society
                   CMSC Council of Majors
                   IFSM Council of Majors

* The following U.S. Government officials declined to speak on December 16:

Barry Smith (Supervisory Special Agent, FBI)
   [Mr. Smith has agreed in principle to speak at UMBC in the spring on
    a law enforcement view of encryption policy;  the evening of
    Dec 16 turned out to be a bad time for him.]
William Reinsch (Undersecretary for Export Administration, BXA)
Bob Litt (Attorney General's Office, DoJ)
Scott Charney (Computer Crimes, DoJ)
Bruce McConnell (Information Policy, OMB)
Ron Lee (General Counsel, NSA)
Dr. Clint Brooks (Director, Cryptographic Policy, NSA)
Charlotte Knepper (Co-Chair, Inter-Agency Working Group on Encryption Policy)
Chris McLean (Staffer for Senator Bob Kerry;  helped draft legislation
  on encryption policy)

I am still hopeful to find a second speaker by Tuesday evening.