IP: Two letters from Australia worth reading -- Behind the USA Patriot Act

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2001 12:11:35 +1100
> From: Nathan Cochrane <ncochrane () theage fairfax com au>
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> Subject: Re: IP: Behind the USA Patriot Act
>
> Hi Dave
>
> The top bit, if you consider it worthy. What the heck, may as well put it 
> all in, including the earlier stuff; in for a penny, in for a pound my 
> nanna used to say. I'm already under surveillance, so what will this hurt?
>
> Perhaps you could repost the salient parts from the transcript I sent to 
> you, or the story link for those who need a refresher?
>
> IP: Liberty and safety in conflict
> http://lists.elistx.com/archives/interesting-people/200109/msg00020.html
> "The enabling of retro-active ethics generated by these enormous files of 
> information are just dangerous, dangerous to a free society," Farber says 
> of the accumulation of private details in huge databases. "Because some 
> day you could run into a person who knew how to use them: a government, a 
> demagogue."
> http://it.mycareer.com.au/news/2001/09/04/FFXNO24V0RC.html
>
> Dan's comments, less than two weeks before the attacks, seem prescient now 
> that I look at them.
>
> "My deepest worry is citizens have actually concluded they're willing to 
> sacrifice their liberty for this illusion of safety."
>
> Guess he was right.
>
> cheers
>
> Nathan
Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2001 11:38:04 +1100
From: Nathan Cochrane <ncochrane () theage fairfax com au>
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: IP: Behind the USA Patriot Act

It's very, very worrying stuff. One of the posters to the list said 
something like, "yeah, we turn into a dictatorship every now and again, but 
don't worry, in the long-haul we become a democracy again".
I wish I could share this faith. How many thousands -- millions -- of 
people suffered irreversible harm in the years of the over-reaction? And 
how resilient is democracy? I don't believe democracy is a natural state; 
it has to be protected and nurtured like a delicate flower in a garden of 
rapacious weeds. And when the gardeners in charge no longer want that job, 
what then?
Ordinarily, citizens outside the US wouldn't give two greenbacks for what 
happens in its borders. But the Western governments and business look to 
Washington, and Seattle, New York and Silicon Valley for their cues.

If the US abandons democracy, as it appears to have done, then our own 
flawed systems are in danger.



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