"How to Blow Up Buildings"

[Tim May <tcmay@got.net>]

At 8:19 AM -0800 5/11/97, Declan McCullagh wrote:
>Here's another good idea for a cypherpunks project: *don't* use the
>Eternity Server to post even more bomb-making instructions all over the
>Web and Usenet.
>
>You might remember I wrote recently about the DoJ report released this
>month that calls for new legislation to ban bomb-making info online. Now
>Feinstein's office tells me she's going to introduce a bill.
>
>No need to throw red meat to the hounds.
>
>(Hmmm. Looking back at my message, I'm essentially saying "censor
>yourself or the government will." Not sure I like that argument.)

You've been in D.C. too long if you're falling for this line of reasoning.

"Book publishers: learn to restrain yourselves or the government will."

"Tom Paine: learn to censor yourself, or Ye Olde King surely will."

"Cypherpunks: hold back on discussions or the Ministry of Truth will shut
you down."

I can't believe Declan is calling for self-limitations on online
discussions of that which is freely available in books, on Web sites, and
(obviously) in government publications.

The proper response to those noting that bomb-making instructions are on
the Net is "So?"

--Tim May


--
[This Bible excerpt awaiting review under the U.S. Communications Decency
Act of 1996]
And then Lot said, "I have some mighty fine young virgin daughters. Why
don't you boys just come on in and fuck them right here in my house - I'll
just watch!"....Later, up in the mountains, the younger daughter said:
"Dad's getting old. I say we should fuck him before he's too old to fuck."
So the two daughters got him drunk and screwed him all that night. Sure
enough, Dad got them pregnant, and had an incestuous bastard son....Onan
really hated the idea of doing his brother's wife and getting her pregnant
while his brother got all the credit, so he pulled out before he
came....Remember, it's not a good idea to have sex with your sister, your
brother, your parents, your pet dog, or the farm animals, unless of course
God tells you to. [excerpts from the Old Testament, Modern Vernacular
Translation, TCM, 1996]