Carroll_Hanks.Houston@xerox.com (05/03/91)
Read your posting with great interest. Of course I had heard of the seizure of the belongings of Steve Jackson Games, but some of the other incidents were new to me. As a BBS operator for the past 5 years, I am very concerned about the encroachment of the government into our private lives, as well as private communication tools such as the BBS. I too, consider the BBS as an electronic equivilant of a printing press. The seizure of the government of a persons livelihood without real proof of any wrong doing is certainly frightening and possibly a portent of what the future could hold for us. George Orwell may have just been off by a few years with his book 1984. I would like to see an organization formed (if one does not exist already) to serve to protect and defend the rights of users of electronic communication. Perhaps with a defense fund for members accused of wrong doing and victims of government actions, as well as a paid lobbyist to pressure the Congress to keep out laws that infringe on the freedom of expression on electronic media. And, if necessary to pass new laws futher protecting those rights. Certainly, a law is needed to allow compensation to persons harmed by the unwarranted actions of the government and punishment of the guilty party that perpetrated the harmful action. In the words of the inimitable Pogo, "I have met the enemy, and he is us."