Legislating for the Long Term?

[T Bruce Tober]

In message <E0yCTO1-0005GQ-00@stingray.ivision.co.uk>, Campaign Against
Censorship of the Internet <cacib@liberty.org.uk> writes
>There are a variety of entities fighting these plans. They 
>run web sites, write papers, talk to journalists and push news items, 
>talk to IWF members, and sometimes talk to the government...well, 
>Nigel Hickson.

Yes, I know. but there obviously needs to be more. Or is it that
obvious. Just as the "country folk" massed together a week or so ago.
Just as labour orgs are talking about doing the same, ie returning to
old time labour mass actions, those of us opposed to legislation of
crypto need to do the same. Strength in numbers etc.

>What do you want to do to help out? If you want to help collect 
>news, format pages, write reports or press releases and so on, I'd 
>love to have your help. 

I think at least as important is to get these organisations to coalesce
under a single umbrella organisation. I would suggest several of us from
various segments - media, civilrights/liberties, business, telecomms,
academia etc meet to set the ball rolling. 

I have to be in London 23-24 and could possibly extend to the 25th of
March. I suggest a meet then/there. Also next week on a date to be set
so if next week is better, let me know when, I'm flexible.

>The difference with "Americans for Computer Privacy" is that they 
>collected enough money from business for a big professional lobbying 
>effort. While the lavish scale of American political advertising 
>isn't possible in the UK,

Why not?!?! That's the same damned attitude that's holding this country
back in all too many situations. It's why many of our best and brightest
are fleeing to the yankee shores. Have you or has anyone to your certain
knowledge tried to put together such an effort?

> even entry-level professional lobbying 
>requires fairly significant sums. 

We have some major companies interested in this issue, not least demon
and some security software companies I'm not at liberty to name yet.

>IMO it would be extremely difficult 
>to collect these solely from individuals' subscriptions. 

I'm not talking about individuals, though I certainly wouldn't discount
them.

>Of course, 
>if you have access to the sort of funding that could run a full-time 
>office then there is a lot more that could be done. 

Let's ask demon and some of these other companies to put money where
there mouths are.

And let's start our own initiating committee with for example:

Who                      Networking with
Me                       Media
You                      Civil liberties/rights orgs
Nicholas Bohm            Legal community
Brian Gladman            Software developers/programmers
Ross Anderson            Academia
Richar Clayton           ISPs and/or software companies
All of us                Whatever corporate types we know
tbt -- Sign all messages with non-escrowed keys, don't give in to government 
tyrany. Commentary at http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/crecon/Escrow.htm

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