[TriLUG] "congress mulls stiff crypto laws"

[Sinner from the Prairy]

>http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991297
>"Intelligence technology may not stop terrorists"

>This article has some good points.  While I'm sure that politicians will
>latch onto encryption backdoors as crucial to preventing terrorism, they
>will undoubtably prove far less effective than desired.


>rpjday wrote:

> >   well, that didn't take long at all, did it?
> > http://wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,46816,00.html

My $0.02 for this discussion:

Please, take ideas from here when you talk with Senators, Governors or 
Newspapers. Thank you.


Let's imagine that the US Government bans encryption.

OK, US citizens are not using encryption. But, what about the people from 
other countries? What about criminals? Will they stop using encryption?

No.

Specially when the European Union has published a recomendation "urging EU 
member States and citizens to use intensive encryption" as a measure to 
protect the privacy of European business, ideas, national security...

This would put American citizens in an unfair disadvantage on privacy 
matters infront the rest of the world. And America is all about example on 
freedom. This is just plain wrong.

Let's say that Europe and other democratic countries too ban encryption, 
will this stop the use of cryptography by non-democraticpeople? Will this 
stop cryptography being used by criminals around the world?

No.

And actualy, it will be legal in some countries to use. And It will just put 
democratic citizens in an unfair disadvantage on privacy matters infront the 
rest of the world. And democratic countries are all about example on 
freedom. This is just plain wrong.

So either you get the US forcing the whole world pasing a law that is 
dubbious on effect (and laughable if you mind) or it will just put Americans 
in terms of inferiority with the rest of the world.


More.


Do you think that any encription available right now can be cracked with 
enough computing force?

Yes.

So provide more means to the NSA to make it the ultimate computing power of 
the nation.


Do you think that research in encryption methodologies can make NSA better 
at breaking encrypted messages?

Yes.

So provide more funding for research on cryptology.



More.


Did the Prohibition stop Americans to have a beer? No. Actualy, it was far 
more dangerous, because people would drink beer from untested procedence, 
causing illness around. And, if you really wanted a beer, you would find a 
beer. Even in the years of prohibition, in D.C., the politicians are known 
to have been drinking alcoholic beverages. Is this fair? I guess not.

Apply this example of prohibition to cryptography.



More.


When JFK was killed, did the US Government ban the use of Rifles? No.
Maybe you can get a law to ban accessto rifles to criminals or mentaly 
unstable citizens.

Please go after the evil person. Don't go after the tool.


Do you ban the use of shovels after someone has used one for killing someone 
else?

No.

So, if politicians want a law, they can make one that bans the usage of 
cyptography tools by violent criminals, and make "usage of cryptogaphy for 
criminal pourposes" a federal offense/ a felony. This way, if you are a good 
citizen, you can use cryptography. But if you are a bad guy, you will be in 
very deep cow-subproduce if you use it and go to trial. Don't go after the 
tool.


Did the government ban the use of trucks after knowing that a truck was used 
on the Oklahoma Bombing?

No.

It would have been stupid and senseless, isn't it?


Don't let the emotions generated by this crazy week get in the place of 
cutting the precious liberty that we all enjoy in theis Country.

We, as individuals, can get irrational and cry, yell and be brainless for a 
while.

But our representatives cannot act this way. They must keep a cold mindset. 
They must think clearly. Because they are the leaders, and leaders lead; 
leaders do not enter in panic mode. They must think about the future.

They cannot surrender the precious liberty achieved by the forefathers of 
the nation just because some psycos want us to surrender the American way of 
Life (TM).



Salut,
Sinner

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