Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 12:35:40 -0700
From: ernesthancock@INFICAD.COM (Ernest Hancock)
Subject: Crossbows to Cryptography
To: AZRKBA@asu.edu

Crossbows to Cryptography

This was the title of an article we published in the Arizona Libertarian some years back that I never forgot. The point being made was that the government (King, whatever) has always and will always do whatever it can to put limits on the individual so that "Royal Sovereignty" CAN NOT be resisted. The crossbow gave ordinary farmers the ability to defend against the armor and abilities of the King's archers with their longbows. A longbow required more training to be effective and the Serfs were at a big disadvantage. With the invention of the crossbow (medival assault weapon :) the playing field was more level. Soooooo, they were outlawed and/or regulated. The Cryptography reference was to the PGP encryption regulations that were being attempted by the US Government (classifing it as a munnition - sorry about all of th spelling errors, my form of PGP :)

When we conceed to the King the ability to regulate our freedom with our active participation, we voluntarily become Serfs. No matter what our argument is or how rightous our cause or how many priest, monks, clergy or knights come to our aid in petitioning for changes in the King's law, we have already given up our claim as free individuals.

Robert Anderson wrote a fantastic and brief piece on his take on this whole CCW argument and I immediately printed it out and readit to my wife. I can't say it any better than he did. Those that say anything other than "Dear Legislator, I do not willingly accept your claimed authority over my freedoms, infact you are oath bound to defend them, not take them away" (something like that). Anything less is only asking for new carpeting for your cage.

Ernie


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