<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"><div><br>The problem with being public though is that you have a lot to lose in this country if you are guilty of a DDoS attack. Listening to Radio 4's PM, unless I misheard, the penalty can be 10 years in prison. It is all wrong I know but same goes for the Digital Economy Bill. This is supposed to be a democracy but it isn't really. My first thought, when Julian Assange was accused of rape, was that he was probably framed by the CIA. We will probably never know. Also, someone in the US was executing a DDoS against Wikileaks - you can be sure that he won't be going to court or being harassed by the authorities.<br>Being Anonymous has it's advantages Al-Qaida<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><em></em><em></em> seem to do well out of it anyway.<br>Whilst I stick to the law myself I admire
those who stick out their necks to stand up for their principles. As a vegetarian I even like to hear when McDonalds has had some grief. It is easy to call people cowards for being anonymous but when the stakes are high it is quite different to standing by one's principles in everyday life. I also think that, when young, many of us might do things that we wouldn't do if older and wiser, I know I did, but so often we get away with it - it is when we don't that the consequences can have a big impact.<br>So, in summary, I like rebels and admire those who fight for what they believe in, even if they are misled and I don't agree with them. For my part, I may have been a bit of a rebel at one time but now I just wouldn't want the hassle.<br><br>The practice of kettling of people in demonstrations is totally wrong. I can understand why some become violent especially when it isn't possible to even use a toilet and the Police are hitting people
on the head with batons - that is simply the action of arrogant thugs. Again, it's supposed to be a democracy but it isn't! Work against the state and, if people start listening to you, democracy and fair play go out of the window in favour of those with the money.<br><br>Brian<br><br><br><br></div><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Alice Kaerast <kaerast@computergentle.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> David Carpenter <david.carpenter@nornir.co.uk>; bradford <bradford@mailman.lug.org.uk><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Sun, 19 December, 2010 14:22:15<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [Bradford] [Fwd: Kettling
Wikileaks]<br></font><br><br>There was a really good talk from an elected EU official in Brussels<br>yesterday. To summarise:<br><br>The DDOS attacks are probably a good thing because it's showing that<br>teenagers are actually interested in the world around them. Teenagers<br>see very little reason to vote because it doesn't really make any<br>difference which name the current government goes by.<br><br>This DDOS was good because it brought to light a greater evil. And we<br>shouldn't charge people making these attacks unless it is financially<br>motivated (like in Spain).<br><br>But we also need to be more open about making these attacks. Randomly<br>attacking people and things is not going to make any difference unless<br>we explain why, and we can't explain very well if we are anonymous or<br>Anonymous. It's also cowardly to anonymously make attacks. If we<br>believe something then we should be open about our
attacks - as the guy<br>who got arrested was.<br><br>To compare the ddos attacks to the protests outside Topshop is also<br>flawed. By blockading Topshop we are more visible both to the customers<br>and to the lower level staff but it also means fewer people can take<br>part - and this is important. The DDOS attacks were launched by people<br>who opted in to the network - they weren't zombie PCs. All of the<br>machines attacking were actually owned by people doing it for a<br>political reason.<br><br>Alice<br><br><br><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Bradford mailing list<br><a ymailto="mailto:Bradford@mailman.lug.org.uk" href="mailto:Bradford@mailman.lug.org.uk">Bradford@mailman.lug.org.uk</a><br><a href="https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/bradford" target="_blank">https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/bradford</a><br></div></div>
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