Replying to Avatar Samson Mow

Keep calm and HODL #Bitcoin.

Everyone seems to be overreacting to the Samourai arrests, the FBI PSA, and Phoenix leaving the US. Here's my attempt to break it down.

Samourai

You have to unpack all of the different elements. Could this be a state attack on self-custody and privacy? Maybe. Probably not.

There are a few components here that need to be evaluated on their own.

1⃣ Samourai was a self-custodial wallet

2⃣ Samourai was a mixer

3⃣ Samourai was providing normal people with privacy

4⃣ Samourai were knowingly marketing the service to criminals and flaunting that fact

Reading the charges, it seems like #4 is pretty cut and dry for this case. Their getting arrested for #4, doesn't automatically mean #1, #2, #3 are under siege as well. If Samourai was a taco stand laundering money and bragging about it, I'm sure they would be taken down too.

They may be accused of running a money transmitter now, but that may or may not stick. We'll find out in the trial.

All that said, we should always be vigilant to attempts to erode privacy and the ability to self-custody. It just does not seem that this fight is *that* fight.

FBI PSA

Seems pretty normal that the FBI would advise people to use compliant services, and the entire announcement seems to revolve around potential disruptions due to Samourai being taken down, and potentially others in the future. Given they took action, they have to post some bulletin about it.

Remember that when people lose funds or have funds stolen from them, they do go to the FBI for help. From their point of view, the best thing for people to do is use compliant services where they can potentially help.

The announcement concludes saying that services that purposely break the law will be investigated - so again we go back to #4 above. This is nothing new, and self-custody is not being criminalized.

Phoenix Leaving

As nostr:npub1sg6plzptd64u62a878hep2kev88swjh3tw00gjsfl8f237lmu63q0uf63m said, it's feels completely unnecessary. Phoenix obviously is not a MSB and they are not doing anything illegal. In my view, their exit from the US app stores is a complete overreaction.

Keep Calm

Could "they" come after wallets, developers, mixers, nodes, LSPs, sidechains, eCash, VPNs, encryption, etc? It's totally possible. But if you're not breaking the law, you have nothing to worry about.

To my knowledge, there is still rule of law in the US, property rights are still protected, and privacy is enshrined in the Bill of Rights (nostr:npub1trr5r2nrpsk6xkjk5a7p6pfcryyt6yzsflwjmz6r7uj7lfkjxxtq78hdpu).

It would be very difficult to change the law or stretch it to incriminate these things because it's all just information and software, which is speech. Some will try. But as they are trying, #Bitcoin is becoming more and more mainstream and integral to the world's financial system.

#Bitcoin is freedom technology and it will continue on.

Go outside this weekend and think about why you're here.

Avatar
Duncan Cary Palmer 1y ago

Hello, nostr:nprofile1qyv8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnsd3jkyum5wghxxmmd9uqsuamnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dshsz8nhwden5te0dehhxarj94c82c3wwajkcmr0wfjx2u3wdejhgtcpr4mhxue69uhkummnw3ezumt4w35ku7thv9kxcet59e3k7mf0qythwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskuep0qyfhwumn8ghj7ur4wfcxcetsv9njuetn9uqzpjd3nl7dg0n2tu3m85n3qm8pne9d9hufhggrrh2xzlcmty0ppzt9jk9pne ,

While I truly appreciate your promotion of bitcoin adoption worldwide, this statement concerns me:

> "To my knowledge, there is still rule of law in the US, property rights are still protected, and privacy is enshrined in the Bill of Rights ( @gladstein )."

I am concerned because your remark reveals either a woefully dangerous lack of awareness of the present state of the American justice system, or deliberate, willful ignorance thereof for the sake of plausible deniability in your diplomatic adventures.

"Rule of law" was deep-sixed decades ago in America, as clearly proven by—for one clear instance—the callous "swatting" of Americans like Larken Rose for merely asking questions about the application of the law. His subsequent trial and conviction was but one of many that prove the United States is nothing more than a third-world, tin-pot dictatorship with NO respect for law, property, or human rights.

Of course, while examples like the Rose case and many other clear, public examples of arbitrary state violations of law and property *abound*, news about them has been suppressed by TPTSB (The Powers That Shouldn't Be) and their captive media organizations. Thank God, the covid debacle of the past several years has brought such manipulations to greater awareness among the public.

I can personally testify to the utter corruption of state agencies. More than once, a gaggle of armed federal, state, and local agents have crept up to my home and knocked on my door; Why? To deliver a piece of paper that could have been sent through the mail. I have also experience the "joy" of a federal agency FAXing my bank "Give us all his money," to which the bank replied "Here you go."

So, I'm placing you on notice; you can NO LONGER assert "there is still rule of law in the US, property rights are still protected." THIS is why #bitcoin is vital for the common man. THIS is why the absolute nature of #bitcoin as property that is #permissionless and #unconfiscatable must be protected by the community at all costs. THIS is why we MUST respond with constant vigilance, particularly making every effort to strengthen bitcoin's decentralization and robustness in the face of existential threats like the FBI, SEC, and all other corrupt state and corporate actors.

We of course also welcome the most rapid, globally widespread, universal adoption of bitcoin that you are so admirably working towards, along with the proliferation of tools for its use by everyman.

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Chris Liss 1y ago

I think both are true. It’s a lawless, tyrannical regime, intent on preserving its power at all costs.

Yet there are norms that still require laws to be followed, rights respected, processes adhered to. There is a bizarre duality where if you are calm, articulate and respectful you can get things done. And yet you might also be thrown in prison or worse.

I always bristle when someone pretends everything is on the level, like they were just “doing their best” during covid, like they didn’t create the virus, mandate poison and demonize people who wouldn’t take it.

On the other hand, I’ve gotten the IRS to help me with documents I needed to get into a good tax situation in Portugal. The agents were totally helpful and friendly. I’m talking about the IRS!

just a very strange point in history right now with so many people in total denial amidst seismic change.