n354bx@tamuts.tamu.edu (David Querin) (11/01/90)
Greetings J. Eric Townsend.
Do you honestly feel that your meager list of 214 hackers/crackers/phreaks
and other computer criminal monstrosities is in any way significant? If this
is the case, I regret to inform you that the United States Secret Service
has a listing of more than 2000 hackers/crackers/phreaks and other computer
criminal monstrosities. How many of your 214 will be repeated? How many
arrests/prosecutions or otherwise would come out of some individual's name
being on another individual's list of purported hackers/crackers/phreaks and
other computer criminal monstrosities? Is it a criminal offense to be on
such a list? (Mr. Godwin, could you follow up to that question, please.)
I really am having a difficult time understanding why you came forth like
this, threatening people with no foundation for doing so. I can only say
that you must be greatly unaware of law enforcement, the networks, and life
in general. Oh, and I hope that you were not expecting to be looked upon
as some sort of a societal hero for your exclamations, but I do not want to
start any flame here; I can only ask that you get informed, sir. For your
sake and the rest of the world's.
-David Querin
n354bx@tamuts.tamu.edu
-=* The ideas presented have nothing to do with TAMU, so don't impose
any of your beliefs/interpretations upon me, or TAMU for that matter. *=-clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) (11/01/90)
In article <9737@helios.TAMU.EDU> n354bx@tamuts.tamu.edu (David Querin) writes: > >Greetings J. Eric Townsend. >Do you honestly feel that your meager list of 214 hackers/crackers/phreaks >and other computer criminal monstrosities is in any way significant? If this >is the case, I regret to inform you that the United States Secret Service >has a listing of more than 2000 hackers/crackers/phreaks and other computer [ stuff omitted ] >I really am having a difficult time understanding why you came forth like >this, threatening people with no foundation for doing so. I can only say >that you must be greatly unaware of law enforcement, the networks, and life >in general. [ more stuff omitted ] Um, David, I think Eric was making a reference to Joe McCarthy's list of "214 Communist agents in the U.S. Government," from the speech that started the whole organized Communist witchhunt in the '50s. (At least, I sure hope he was; if not, my interpretation is probably as wildly off-base as I think yours is.) Assuming I'm right, though, I'm sure you can see the point. McCarthy never produced that list, by the way. As far as I know, it didn't even exist. But how many people were persecuted, what lives ruined, what liberties trampled, all growing out of one baseless allegation... What's the line about those who don't learn history being doomed to repeat it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Strong : "Welcome to FUBAR Corp., where there's (Clouds moving slowly) : never enough time to do a job right, clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu : but always enough time to do it over."
mnemonic@eff.org (Mike Godwin) (11/01/90)
In article <9737@helios.TAMU.EDU> n354bx@tamuts.tamu.edu (David Querin) writes: >Is it a criminal offense to be on >such a list? (Mr. Godwin, could you follow up to that question, please.) No, it is not a criminal offense to be on such a list. Fortunately, it also is not a criminal offense to misunderstand a joking reference to Joe McCarthy. :-) --Mike -- Mike Godwin, (617) 864-0665 |"If the doors of perception were cleansed mnemonic@well.sf.ca.us | every thing would appear to man as it is, Electronic Frontier | infinite." Foundation | --Blake
craig@com50.c2s.mn.org (Craig Wilson) (11/01/90)
In article <38984@ut-emx.uucp> clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) writes: >Assuming I'm right, though, I'm sure you can see the point. McCarthy never >produced that list, by the way. As far as I know, it didn't even exist. But >how many people were persecuted, what lives ruined, what liberties trampled, >all growing out of one baseless allegation... > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > Kathy Strong : "Welcome to FUBAR Corp., where there's That was the way I read the message. Anything that starts "I have here a list" can pretty much be assumed to be in the McCarthy vein. Whether it is humorous or serious depends upon context. I can't remember if the actual list ever surfaced, but I believe that the list J. M. shook around in front of the TV cameras was a laundry list. /craig
jxxl@huxley.cs.nps.navy.mil (John Locke) (11/02/90)
In article <> clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) writes: > Um, David, I think Eric was making a reference to Joe McCarthy's list of > "214 Communist agents in the U.S. Government," from the speech that started > the whole organized Communist witchhunt in the '50s. McCarthy's original statement: "I have here in my hand a list of 205 that were known to the secretary of state as being members of the Communist Party and who, nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State Department." Thus was born the syndrome that bears his name.
jet@karazm.math.uh.edu (J. Eric Townsend) (11/02/90)
In article <1601@huxley.cs.nps.navy.mil> jxxl@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil (John Locke) writes: >McCarthy's original statement: "I have here in my hand a list of 205 that were >known to the secretary of state as being members of the Communist Party and >who, nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State >Department." Thus was born the syndrome that bears his name. Yeah, that's what I get for not having a copy of the speach around when I made the post. I got the number wrong and everything. :-) -- J. Eric Townsend Internet: jet@uh.edu Bitnet: jet@UHOU Systems Manager - University of Houston Dept. of Mathematics - (713) 749-2120 EastEnders list: eastender@karazm.math.uh.edu Skate UNIX(r)
JAHAYES@MIAMIU.BITNET (Josh Hayes) (11/03/90)
Calm down, folks. I think it was intended to be irony/parody/satire -- in short, a joke! Geez. And I hesitate to let myself in for this, but could somebody out there explain to me what the hell it is the Len Rose supposedly did, i.e. what charges have been filed and for what? I came late to this group (not my fault; we just added it a couple weeks ago), and missed that discussion if it ever existed. Hard to have an opinion on something one knows nothing about; but of course, that doesn't stop a lot of people (snide, snide). Thanks for the info. [JET: it *was* kinda a joke, right?] Josh Hayes, Zoology Department, Miami University, Oxford OH 45056 voice: 513-529-1679 fax: 513-529-6900 jahayes@miamiu.bitnet, or jahayes@miamiu.acs.muohio.edu "It is always wise to remember that it was the gods who put nipples on men, seeds in pomegranates, and priests in temples."