Homestead mailing list

[Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>]

On 2/21/2010 12:53 AM, EarthNSky wrote:
>   The Gmail portion is operating wonderfully
> under Thunderbird, but I need to log back on to the website and see if
> it is storing mail like the problem Glo has.  I don't like webmail
> because of security....not that I have that much to hide, but it is the
> principle of the matter.  Can anyone help with this password thing?
>
>    
It is odd how those of us who do not care for the concept that others 
can potentially read our email have to defend ourselves in online 
discussions. It should never be necessary to apologetically say "I have 
nothing to hide" when mentioning a concern about privacy issues. But it 
is. Because in almost every on-line conversation about privacy, if 
anyone mentions a concern, in most forums there is a very high 
likelihood that someone will say "I'm not worried about what Google <or 
insert other entity, including the government> has on me because I HAVE 
NOTHING TO HIDE." The inference is that anyone who gives a rat's ass 
about privacy must be a criminal or have something to hide. Our society 
has gone from valuing individual freedom (and privacy) to practically 
demanding full body searches of innocent people in order to fly on an 
airline in the name of safety, and to fully accepting that our entire 
identities should be openly entrusted to a corporate entity or to the 
government.

I still like the motto "Live Free or Die!" Over the course of my 
lifetime, I have watched the steady erosion of both privacy and 
individual freedom. People have been slowly conditioned not to care 
about personal freedom or privacy any longer. Sad but true.

I don't feel we should apologize for not wanting someone reading our 
mail, whether snail or e. Who would feel comfortable seeing someone 
reading their mail out of their mailbox along the road? Even if they 
have nothing to hide? If it is no big deal, then why would that action 
be a federal crime? How is it any different with email? Nowadays, more 
business is conducted via email than snail mail. Many things which are 
of a private nature are dealt with online. And yet with email, a hacker 
or errant Google employee could access yours without your ever seeing 
them rummaging through your virtual mail box. Concern for privacy, in my 
mind anyway, is not a sign of a criminal mind, scheming to hide dark 
secrets, but a matter of prudence.

Gloria