FC: Census data let US imprison Japanese-Americans in 1942; privacy

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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> To: declan () well com, gnu () toad com
> Subject: Census data let US imprison Japanese-Americans in 1942
> Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 18:01:11 -0800
> From: John Gilmore <gnu () toad com>
>
> The US government used census data to round up Japanese-Americans in
> 1942 and put them into concentration camps.  I suggest not helping.
>
> Each person in the US can DECIDE whether or not to answer the census.
> (The government tries to give you the impression that you have no choice.)
> What you risk by deciding not to answer is a $100 fine and no jail
> time (see 13 USC 221).  This penalty is only applied to a few people a
> decade, while millions DECIDE not to answer.  What they call an
> undercount, I call protecting your privacy.
>
> Particularly if you are someone the government doesn't like.  Are you
> a drug user?  Own a gun?  Speak your mind?  From a persecuted race or
> culture?  Have a sexual orientation unapproved by Jesus's mouthpieces?
> Enjoy fair use of copyrighted material?  Like to travel without being
> unconstitutionally searched and identified?  Refuse to give the right
> social security number?  Not a fan of taxes?  Don't answer the census.
>
> I have posted most of the information that I gathered about why
> answering the 1990 census was a bad idea, at:
>
>   http://www.toad.com/gnu/census.html
>
>         John Gilmore


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> Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 14:30:43 -0800
> From: Lizard <lizard () dnai com>
> To: declan () well com, politech () vorlon mit edu
> Subject: Re: FC: Congressional plan would create U.S. Privacy Protection 
> Commission
>
>  'No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while Congess is in
> session'.
>
> A 'grand unified privacy theory' will end up being:
> a)An unworkable boondoggle of incomprehensible legislation
> b)A total sell-out to the NSA
> c)Both
>
> Attention, members of Congress:We don't need your help. We don't want
> your help. We sent you to Congress as part of a program to find good
> make-work jobs for those with no other skills. Don't go thinking you
> have any actual role to play, because you don't. Bugger off and let us
> work it out for ourselves.

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