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We might be talking past each other. I'm saying - yes, the burden should be on current and former NSA employees to explain why they're trustworthy. People can s

by sedev 13y ago

We might be talking past each other. I'm saying - yes, the burden should be on current and former NSA employees to explain why they're trustworthy. People can set their standard of "acceptable explanation" however they like - however, I feel strongly that someone who worked for a deeply compromised institution, should bear the burden of explaining. When Bob just wants to introduce himself and people say "You worked for the NSA? Go away, spy" -- that is a sign that effective social punishment of the NSA - the institution - is taking place. I see you worrying about the scenario where no amount of explanation Bob can give is enough to get him in the door. That's fine. But I'm arguing that Bob should have to do some explaining, and I'm arguing that if you do want the NSA - the institution - to suffer effective consequences, then you must accept that individual members will also face some gnarly consequence, because that's how institutions in a social context work. You cannot meaningfully punish the institution without also punishing its members. It does raise moral issues, yes - but if you have already decided, "we must punish the institution," then you fatally compromise that goal by adding a lily-livered "but let's not make things too hard for the members."

yeukhon 13y ago
We probably are. > should bear the burden of explaining. Yes. Indeed, but how many will accept that? How many of us here will bother to look at it and say "he sounds genuine." We should evaluate what things one can do to help people to get out of NSA and still receive some degree of respect/human treatment. If by punishing is by not giving them a chance because, as some have declared, "I will not trust them at all anymore", these poor souls will have no jobs but NSA jobs. And let me restate my position: I don't endorse NSA and I believe they are morally responsible for the work they do (everyone should, regardless of whether NSA or Adobe leaking password). But let's focus on what one can do to make the transition easier. What makes them part of us again. When we say Mr. Foo Bar, NSA cryptographer, publishing a paper for his next talk, sure, the chair will just throw that away and say "fuck it, no one would want to hear bs from NSA." As you can see, even though some people say "I have no problem with individual contribution", some probably left the part "but I will remain skeptical and uncomfortable with them being around, and making changes to Linux kernel." And to some they just never want to see those poor souls on IRC anymore.

by sedev 13y ago

yeukhon 13y ago

We probably are. > should bear the burden of explaining. Yes. Indeed, but how many will accept that? How many of us here will bother to look at it and say "he sounds genuine." We should evaluate what things one can do to help people to get out of NSA and still receive some degree of respect/human treatment. If by punishing is by not giving them a chance because, as some have declared, "I will not trust them at all anymore", these poor souls will have no jobs but NSA jobs. And let me restate my position: I don't endorse NSA and I believe they are morally responsible for the work they do (everyone should, regardless of whether NSA or Adobe leaking password). But let's focus on what one can do to make the transition easier. What makes them part of us again. When we say Mr. Foo Bar, NSA cryptographer, publishing a paper for his next talk, sure, the chair will just throw that away and say "fuck it, no one would want to hear bs from NSA." As you can see, even though some people say "I have no problem with individual contribution", some probably left the part "but I will remain skeptical and uncomfortable with them being around, and making changes to Linux kernel." And to some they just never want to see those poor souls on IRC anymore.