On Friday, December 6, 2002, at 02:08 PM, Tim May wrote:
Consider this. I have your phone number, either through a phone book or told to me or however gotten, fully legally. I call your number. I offer something, perhaps something for sale, whatever.I believe the law in question specifies who is affected by it, and limits it to the more automated forms (where large lists are used for dialing). However, I'm not 100% sure; if anyone has more info I'd gladly stand corrected. I was drawing on the training for telemarketers I received at a large credit card bank.
This I see as more of a differing in philosophy; the age-old contrast between Thoreau's "wash your hands" ideals and those of the pragmatists. The plain fact is that we live in a state where laws like this exist. Unless you are willing to live completely independent of said state (id est, moving to the middle of the desert and living in an Earthship, or what have you), you need to decide where to draw the line between repulsive and just distasteful. For some it may be the use of public roads, for some "privacy" laws, and for some the death penalty.
And anyone interested in liberty should be repulsed by such laws, regardless of their "practical" benefits.
In this instance the law in question falls into the distasteful category for me, but not so far as to prevent me from using all available resources to accomplish a goal (in this case peace and quiet). Best justification I can provide on little sleep.
