It's good to see that many people have a sound head on their shoulders and are not engaging in over-reaching knee-jerk reactions.
Find the time to write your congresscritter, but do it when you are not emotional. Tell them that security research is not cracking, that cracking is not terrorism (if you don't take the time to properly secure your systems, you need to take some liability!), tell them that crypto is free speech, it is the ability of people to have a private conversation! A conversation without big ears, between a limited group of people. Then let the letter sit overnight and read it in fresh light.
If you really want them to listen, take the time to print out your letter, after you have sent it online, address some envelopes and send them hard copy!
If you really wan to stir some feathers, then remind them of the declaration of independence - "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security"
When mentioning your right and duty to throw off such Government, you may also want to point out that the founding fathers gave you the means to do so. You just have to pull a lever in a little booth.
Yes - voting is the most powerful force in a democratic society, now I really wish that we lived in one. I'm not sure how to best describe the current state of the US. A schizoprenic oligarchy? Politics is very dominated by the incumbent parties. To be a candidate you need to be selected by the party, or be quite wealthy. Because of the dominance, The incumbent parties set the agenda for political discussion, focusing on very narrow, well tested "positions" that are determined to most likely swing middle ground voters. The actual differences in the current crops of well groomed, focus-group honed candidates is laughable.
Don't forget the experience of John McCain, who learned not to fight the system, the poster boy was chosen, even though he consistenly proved to have a much higher appeal with general voters, he couldn't swing the party stalwarts voting for the poster boy.
Any sort of revolution must be the absolute last resort in any political discussion. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned in how ultra conservative christians staged a grass-roots takeover of the republican party in the 80's.
Hopefully we will never give away the most important right the founding fathers gave us in fulfilling our duty, the means to protect ourselves from our government. (insert your favorite cliche here - but yes, for the record I am a licensed firearm owner) Maybe the government was right all along in classifying encryption as a munition, it certainly is a very effective tool in protecting us from the prying eyes and ears of the government.
Vote, educate your representatives, educate your neighbors, that's by far the best way we have of maintaining a free and open society!
Thank you (Score:5, Insightful)
Find the time to write your congresscritter, but do it when you are not emotional. Tell them that security research is not cracking, that cracking is not terrorism (if you don't take the time to properly secure your systems, you need to take some liability!), tell them that crypto is free speech, it is the ability of people to have a private conversation! A conversation without big ears, between a limited group of people. Then let the letter sit overnight and read it in fresh light.
If you really want them to listen, take the time to print out your letter, after you have sent it online, address some envelopes and send them hard copy!
If you really wan to stir some feathers, then remind them of the declaration of independence - "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security"
Chris
Re:Thank you (Score:0)
Vote People! (Score:2)
Don't forget the experience of John McCain, who learned not to fight the system, the poster boy was chosen, even though he consistenly proved to have a much higher appeal with general voters, he couldn't swing the party stalwarts voting for the poster boy.
Any sort of revolution must be the absolute last resort in any political discussion. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned in how ultra conservative christians staged a grass-roots takeover of the republican party in the 80's.
Hopefully we will never give away the most important right the founding fathers gave us in fulfilling our duty, the means to protect ourselves from our government. (insert your favorite cliche here - but yes, for the record I am a licensed firearm owner) Maybe the government was right all along in classifying encryption as a munition, it certainly is a very effective tool in protecting us from the prying eyes and ears of the government.
Vote, educate your representatives, educate your neighbors, that's by far the best way we have of maintaining a free and open society!
Chris