So, call me paranoid, but I find it dreadfully worrisome that privacy as we know it comes to an end in the 21st century. We were already off to a bad start, but recent paranoia resulting from the terrorist attacks on 9/11 has caused people to be ready and willing to give up their privacy in exchange for an added sense of security. Ashcroft is capitalizing on America's feeling of vulnerability by pushing through laws that rob each of us of our basic personal rights to privacy and limit our freedoms as consumers and citizens.

It is presumed that the terrorists attacked the United States at least in part because they hate our way of life -- our free society. So, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn’t surrendering our freedoms in response to such an attack an admission of defeat?

Expect this rant to grow in the future, and to include discussion of the DMCA, the ATA, the USSA, and other irrational and unconstitutional laws and bills. In the meantime, check out related links.

As of this writing, it's still legal to use encryption for personal use in the USA, and I encourage everyone to use as much as is convenient. I make daily use of gnupg, and recommend that you do as well. Please encrypt all communications to me using my public key.