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No Privacy for Privacy Hypocrites


Oh, *this* is rich...

Cheers,
Bob Hettinga
--- begin forwarded text


Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 15:12:46 -0400 (EDT)
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No Privacy for Privacy Hypocrites


     A grass-roots citizen group is forming to address the
unrestrained assault on privacy represented by the Kenneth
Starr/Congressional investigations into President Clinton's sex
life.

     The group, named "No Privacy for Privacy Hypocrites," (on
the web at http://www.noprivacy.org) intends to make Congress
confront the privacy concerns that are raised by the
investigation, by asking Members of Congress to declare their own
standards regarding privacy, and deal with the consequences.

     The group is concerned that the investigation into the
President's sex life is having a negative impact on privacy that
will affect ordinary citizens.  "This whole sad affair is the
product of decades-long disrespect for privacy, for which our
political leaders are responsible," said Evan Hendricks, Editor
and Publisher of Privacy Times and one of the organizers of the
group.

     "This effort is intended to arrest the free fall of privacy
rights triggered by the stunning abuses of power by the Starr
investigation and the Congressional dissemination of personal
information," said Jamie Love.  "This should be a wake-up call
for Congress," said Gary Ruskin.

     On Monday, September 28, 1998, the group will distribute a
survey to Members of Congress asking:

     Do you believe any branch of government should investigate
     allegations that elected officials have committed adultery,
     including allegations that they have lied about it?

     If a Member answers yes or if the Member refuses to answer
the first question, then (and only then) they will be asked:

     Have you ever committed adultery, and have you ever lied
     about it?

     The survey is designed so that Members of Congress who
support privacy will not be asked about their own private lives.

     The answers to the survey will be placed on the web at
http://www.noprivacy.org, as soon the surveys are returned.


     CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT


     There are several ways people can participate in this
effort.

1.   You can join the group by sending a note to
     [email protected].

2.   You can join an Internet discussion about the campaign by
     sending a note to [email protected], with the message:

     sub noprivacy Jane Doe

     (If your name is Jane Doe).

3.   You can offer suggestions for the web page, which needs some
     work.

4.   You can encourage your own Members of Congress to answer the
     survey.

For more information, see the No Privacy for Privacy Hypocrites
web page at http://www.noprivacy.org

     Organizers of the Committee gave different reasons for
joining.  Audrie Krause said "Wasn't there something in the New
Testament that says let he who is without sin cast the first
stone?  And since we are heading toward a public stoning, we
should ask, is anyone in Congress qualified to cast the first
stone?"

     Jim Warren, the well-known Internet activist, said:
"If politicians are going to compete with the Jerry Springer
Show, let's make sure that ALL of the best actors have an EQUAL
opportunity to expose their bedroom activities to the world.
. . . Any member of Congress who refuses to answer this simple
survey, but votes to pursue hearings about some other
politician's private sex-life, should be voted out of office."

     Catherine Gavin said "All this looks as if some people
in this country had decided to drive a car going faster and
faster, without caring that there were no brakes on the car.
Something has to be done before all of us get hurt in the final
crash. This is about a lot of things, but it is mostly about
privacy, or the prospect of living in a world with no privacy."


     Initial Organizing members of the Committee

     Initial Organizers of the Committee, which is an Ad Hoc
group, include:  Gary Ruskin, Marc Rotenberg, Jim Warren, Manon
Anne Ress, Jamie Love, Catherine Gavin, Audrie Krause, Noe
Hatchuel, Charles Bennington, Evan Hendricks.


     To contact the Committee, send email to [email protected]

--- end forwarded text


-----------------
Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: [email protected]>
Philodox Financial Technology Evangelism <http://www.philodox.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'