my letter to our representation in Congress

[Daniel R . Kilbourne]

While we are editing, you may want to fix this:

	encryption, his organization would many other options for secure
communication


I would think you meant "would have many other options"


Just a heads up




Cory Spitz extolled:
> Ben,
> 
> Very nicely written.  You might want to remove the extraneous "be"
> from this sentence before you drop these letters in the mail.
> 
> > Do not be allow yourself to be swayed by hysterical
> 
> 
> -Cory
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 17 Sep 2001, Ben Pfaff wrote:
> 
> > I am mail-merging (I wrote my own software for this and for
> > envelope printing) and sending this letter today.
> >
> > Ben
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Congressman Dave Camp
> > 137 Cannon House Office Building
> > Washington DC 20515
> >
> > Senator Carl Levin
> > 269 Russell Senate Office Building
> > Washington DC 20510
> >
> > Senator Debbie Stabenow
> > 702 Hart Senate Office Building
> > Washington DC 20510
> >
> > \begin{letter}{%RECIPIENT%}
> >
> > \opening{%TITLE% %LASTNAME%,}
> >
> > As a registered voter in your district, I am writing to you regarding
> > the disaster that so suddenly focused our nation's attention this past
> > Sept.~11.  The most important work in the aftermath of this terrible
> > attack is to care for the survivors and mourn for the departed, and
> > furthermore to track down and punish those responsible for the
> > attack.  I encourage any efforts along these lines.  However, I am
> > also concerned about other issues.
> >
> > In particular, I wish to draw to your attention to the potential for
> > unnecessary legislative assault on personal freedom in the United
> > States in the coming weeks and months.  There is the worrisome
> > possibility that new laws will be passed and signed in the name of
> > national security, applying less than a prudent or usual amount of
> > scrutiny to negative effects.  Historically, such laws have proven
> > difficult to repeal, making their passage even less desirable.
> >
> > An example lies in the misguided call for a ban on the use of
> > encryption for electronic mail, because terrorist Osama bin Laden is
> > known to make use of encryption.  Proponents of such a ban obviously
> > mean well, intending to make it more difficult for terrorists to
> > communicate.  They do not understand that such software is freely
> > available from many sources throughout the world, not just within the
> > United States, so a ban would have no practical effect on availability
> > of encryption, and even if bin Laden were prevented from using
> > encryption, his organization would many other options for secure
> > communication.
> >
> > In addition, encryption has many legitimate uses.  Electronic mail
> > sent unencrypted is easily read and intercepted by a third party
> > without the knowledge of sender or recipient, in the same way that
> > information written on a postcard can be read as it passes through the
> > postal system.  Encryption is the only practical way for ordinary
> > citizens to provide basic security against tampering that a simple
> > paper envelope provides for paper mail.  This in itself is enough
> > reason to allow and even promote the use of encryption, but there are
> > many other positive uses, as illustrated in books such as Schneier's
> > \textsl{Applied Cryptography}.
> >
> > In summary, I encourage you now in this time of crisis to consider
> > bills on their merits and pay close scrutiny to negative effects on
> > individual liberty, in the careful same way that you would do so at
> > any other time.  Do not be allow yourself to be swayed by hysterical
> > (but understandable) reactions to the magnitude of the present
> > disaster.  As Benjamin Franklin once said, ``They that can give up
> > essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither
> > liberty nor safety.''  When the safety in question is in fact
> > illusory, this adage is even more applicable.
> >
> > \closing{Sincerely,}
> >
> > \end{letter}
> > --
> > Peter Seebach on managing engineers:
> > "It's like herding cats, only most of the engineers are already
> >  sick of laser pointers."
> > _______________________________________________
> > linux-user mailing list
> > linux-user@egr.msu.edu
> > http://www.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
> linux-user mailing list
> linux-user@egr.msu.edu
> http://www.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user

-- 
--------------------------------
Daniel R. Kilbourne
daniel.kilbourne@corecomm.com
CoreComm Systems Engineering
________________________________