From: farbrent!ajr3@ms.uky.edu
Subject: Wanna See Something Really Scary?
Originator: daemon@eff.org
Organization: EFF mail-news gateway
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 07:44:18 GMT

Recently accounts on the WELL and Portal were cracked and used to  
post some  offensive, inflammatory, racially motivated statements to  
a large and diverse list of newsgroups. (ie, flamebait) The ensuing  
flame war lasted about a week and pretty much ended with apologies  
and explanations from the folks at Portal and the WELL along with  
their actions to prevent further access to the offending accounts.  
Just as it was dying of natural causes, however, the article attached  
below was posted. For me, it was like watching some awful car wreck  
in slow motion. For me,the implications of Congressional interest in  
the net and the possibility of Steve Jackson Games like investigative  
techniques being applied to all of the machines involved are  
staggering.

I thought I'd pass it along for your opinions.

j.


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From: farbrent!ajr3
Subject: UPDATE: F*** You All UPDATE!
Date: 14 Sep 92 02:08:50 GMT

Over the last week, our boards have been attacked
by messages from two "anonymous" people a/k/a Jeff Spandenberg
and Hugo Gonzalez. The racist and divisive statements 

contained in their forged messages created a wave of anger and  
emotion that echoed throughout the Internet.

There are some investigators who believe these postings
were not the results of pranks or impromptu behavior,
but rather a highly-organized conspiracy to disrupt the community.
Further, there is belief that these acts were conducted
to agitate the "silent majority" 

(i.e., the perpetrators believe those who remained silent
were in agreement).

Their bigotry was designed to degrade and humiliate minorities,
with a calculated attempt to pit Jewish, Hispanic and Black persons
against one another (consider the racially identifying names 

of Spandenberg, Gonzalez and Jackson).
Perhaps these experts are wrong.
But the actions of these people who hide behind the names of others,
like those who hide their faces behind hoods,
is clearly unlawful and must not be repeated.

The proper authorities must complete a full and proper 

investigation to identify the individuals involved
and take appropriate action against them. 

They have violated numerous Federal regulations and laws,
including fraudulent use of the Internet and forgery (for starters).

I ask each and every one of you that is an American
to join me in demanding the FBI, FCC and other investigative units
continue their efforts in this regard
and better safeguard us from similar such events.
The guilty persons can be identified and must be brought to justice.
Prosecution of the parties involved is the best way
to maintain the future integrity of the Internet.
Our network is not the "anonymous" entity that some
would have you believe. There are many traceable avenues.

I have written my United States Senators to make them aware of the
violations that have taken place and made demand upon them to contact
the FBI with their expressed concern.

In the lines that follow is a portion of my letter.
Feel free to clip this letter or compose your own.

In closing, let me say that one voice makes a difference.
Consider the single message of anonymous a/k/a Jeff Spandenberg.
Your voice can speak as loudly as his.

-Latanya
 sweeney@husc3.harvard.edu

==================================

Dear Senator,

This letter is to advise you of the violations that have taken place  
on the Internet (an international computer network for academic,  
research and government institutions). Messages posted from within  
the United  States are in direct violation of a variety of Federal  
laws and  regulations, beginning with the FCC regulations regarding  
the use of  profanity, and extending through total disregard to the  
Civil Rights  Amendment. Further, the forged messages were designed  
to inflame and  incite specific minorities. The flood of responses  
that followed these  outrageous messages wasted an estimated  
thousands of dollars in  taxpayer funds and rendered many boards on  
the Internet inoperable. 


I respectfully demand a complete FBI investigation to identify the 

individuals involved and to take appropriate action against the  
guilty parties. The integrity of the Internet must be maintained; it  
must not  be used as a weapon in the committment of hate crimes. This  
letter was sent by certified mail, return receipt, to insure its  
delivery. Thank you for your prompt attention in this matter.

Yours truly,

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