🚀 go-pugleaf

this was sent to me recently.  i thought it should be posted,
since it deals with us all....


  - - The original note follows - -
=========================================================================

> Hiya
> The Government wants to be able to read your encrypted e-mail
> even if you don't want them to!!
>
> >For those of you who already have this, I apologize, but I think it's
> >pretty important. Please read!
>
> >Hello,
> >
> >This message is about Clipper, a proposal which would allow the government
> >to peek at our ***PRIVATE*** email. Please read it, and if you are as
> >opposed to Clipper as I am, please sign the electronic petition and help
> >stop this thing.
> >
> >please forward this to everyone you know...  this is important!
> >
> >For those of you who don't know, Clipper is a proposal circulating in the
> >government right now whereby the government will require that all methods of
> >encrypting data (including e-mail) have a 'backdoor' of sorts so that the
> >government will be able to decrypt and read the data.  As you may have
> >guessed, this is an infringement on your right to privacy.
> >
> >Below are details on a petition against Clipper, and how to sign your name
> >to it.  Please read.
> >
> >>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> >>
> >>
> >>                Electronic Petition to Oppose Clipper
> >>                      Please Distribute Widely
> >>
> >>On January 24, many of the nation's leading experts in cryptography
> >>and computer security wrote President Clinton and asked him to
> >>withdraw the Clipper proposal.
> >>
> >>The public response to the letter has been extremely favorable,
> >>including coverage in the New York Times and numerous computer and
> >>security trade magazines.
> >>
> >>Many people have expressed interest in adding their names to the
> >>letter.  In  response to these requests, CPSR is organizing an
> >>Internet petition drive to oppose the Clipper proposal.  We will
> >>deliver the signed petition to the White House, complete with the
> >>names of all the people who oppose Clipper.
> >>
> >>To sign on to the letter, send a message to:
> >>
> >>     Clipper.petition@cpsr.org
> >>
> >>with the message "I oppose Clipper" (no quotes)
> >>
> >>You will receive a return message confirming your vote.
> >>
> >>Please distribute this announcement so that others may also express
> >>their opposition to the Clipper proposal.
> >>
> >>CPSR is a membership-based public interest organization.  For
> >>membership information, please email cpsr@cpsr.org.  For more
> >>information about Clipper, please consult the CPSR Internet Library -
> >>FTP/WAIS/Gopher CPSR.ORG /cpsr/privacy/crypto/clipper
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>=====================================================================
> >>
> >>The President
> >>The White House
> >>Washington, DC  20500
> >>
> >>Dear Mr. President:
> >>
> >>     We are writing to you regarding the "Clipper" escrowed encryption
> >>proposal now under consideration by the White House.  We wish to
> >>express our concern about this plan and similar technical standards
> >>that may be proposed for the nation's communications infrastructure.
> >>
> >>     The current proposal was developed in secret by federal agencies
> >>primarily concerned about electronic surveillance, not privacy
> >>protection.  Critical aspects of the plan remain classified and thus
> >>beyond public review.
> >>
> >>     The private sector and the public have expressed nearly unanimous
> >>opposition to Clipper.  In the formal request for comments conducted
> >>by the Department of Commerce last year, less than a handful of
> >>respondents supported the plan.  Several hundred opposed it.
> >>
> >>     If the plan goes forward, commercial firms that hope to develop
> >>new products will face extensive government obstacles. Cryptographers
> >>who wish to develop new privacy enhancing technologies will be
> >>discouraged.  Citizens who anticipate that the progress of technology
> >>will enhance personal privacy will find their expectations
> >>unfulfilled.
> >>
> >>     Some have proposed that Clipper be adopted on a voluntary basis
> >>and suggest that other technical approaches will remain viable.  The
> >>government, however, exerts enormous influence in the marketplace, and
> >>the likelihood that competing standards would survive is small.  Few
> >>in the user community believe that the proposal would be truly
> >>voluntary.
> >>
> >>     The Clipper proposal should not be adopted.  We believe that if
> >>this proposal and the associated standards go forward, even on a
> >>voluntary basis, privacy protection will be diminished, innovation
> >>will be slowed, government accountability will be lessened, and the
> >>openness necessary to ensure the successful development of the
> >>nation's communications infrastructure will be threatened.
> >>
> >>     We respectfully ask the White House to withdraw the Clipper
> >>proposal.
> >[end forwarded message]
>       VERY IMPORTANT!  READ AND FORWARD!!!!
ga
>

-Coeura de Terre
_______________________________________________________________________________
PARRISH@admvax.lynchburg.edu  |
        _  _
       / \/ \         "There is truth, my boy.  But the doctrine you desire,
       \    /  @       absolute, perfect dogma that alone provides wisdom,
   _____\  /___|__     does not exist.  Nor should you long for a perfect
         \/    ^       doctrine, my friend.  Rather, you should long for
       _/|-            perfection of yourself.  The deity is within _you_,
      _/||\_           not in ideas and books.  Truth is lived, not taught."

                                     -Hesse
                                        _The Glass Bead Game_