Re: Cypherpunks as lobbying/propagandizing group

[Julietta <albright@scf.usc.edu>]

> 
> Eric Hughes says:  "It's a fine idea, except there's no way such a group can 
> claim to represent cypherpunks at large."  
> 
> True enough -- my idea would be to say that our group is composed of folks who
> happen to be Cypherpunks subscribers.  I agree that claiming to represent an
> anarchy is illogical and, well, an outright untruth.
> 
> Curt
> 

	You know- I know you all are more individualistic in nature, more
anarchistic than to think of yourselves as belonging to an organized "group",
but I am getting concerned about a certain disassociation with the
political aspects of cryptography which I am seeing by some members of this
list- especially the post awhile back which was of the tone of "leave it to
the other guys to lobby and be political, etc" - meaning throwing the
responsibility over to the EFF people, etc. While I am sure that they are
organized to lobby in this sort of way, my original thoughts on rallying
some of us together was not to try to form yet another lobbying
organization, but rather, to perhaps "fight fire with fire" with some of
the media bad press that we are getting as subscribers to this list, and as
Clipper-opposers.
	Secondly, there has been grumblings by certain new members
regarding the political talk, with requests for more 'tech talk' - It seems
to me that these threads are in a sense mutually exclusive in a certain
sense, and could very easily be carried on at the same time. If you want to
talk tech- just jump in and do so- but people are probably not going to
call on you to start the thread..I just am not sure why someone would
object to *both* tech and politics- and anyway- if you don't like the
political talk, you could always write yourself a filter.
	Lastly, there has been talk about the old-timers on this list
"sitting back and waiting while the 'newbies' talk over things which have
been said before (politically, I take it)- the thing is, the cryptography/
Clipper policy is being designed and debated *now*- I can't see how
whateve you all talked about 3 years ago can really be relevent to what's
going on in the media today regarding this important issue. It seems to me
this isn't a static, circular discusion, but rather a continuous, ongoing 
thread which is informed by the media on a day to day basis..And  unless
you all are amazingly clairvoyant, it would have been hard to know all the
events which are going on now three years ago.
	I don't know about you all, but if my privacy is threatned, I am
going to do what I can to object to it. I am not of the mindset to "leave
it to someone else" to do. 
	Well, as this is getting long, I will close.    

     Julie

"I am not an Internet Cult member"

___________________________________________________________________________
Julie M. Albright
Ph.D Student
Department of Sociology
University of Southern California
albright@usc.edu
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