A Letter from Anonymous (9 Dec 2010)

[Catherina]

A Letter from Anonymous

Our Message, Intentions, and Potential Targets

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."
- Abraham Lincoln

"He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither."
– Benjamin Franklin


Hello World. We are Anonymous. What you do or do not know about us is irrelevant. We have decided to write to you, the media, and all citizens of the free world at large to inform you of the message, our intentions, potential targets, and our ongoing peaceful campaign for freedom.


"True, This! —
Beneath the rule of men entirely great,
The pen is mightier than the sword. Behold
The arch-enchanters wand! — itself a nothing! —
But taking sorcery from the master-hand
To paralyse the Cæsars, and to strike
The loud earth breathless! — Take away the sword —
States can be saved without it!"


- The Cardinal
Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy by: Edward Bulwer-Lytton


The message is simple: Freedom of Speech. Anonymous is peacefully campaigning for Freedom of Speech everywhere in all forms. Freedom of Speech for: The Internet, for journalism and journalists, and citizens of the world at large. Regardless of what you think or have to say; Anonymous is campaigning for you.
The recent news of our campaigns has been, at best, misinformed. Anonymous is not always the same group of people. The Constitution of the United States is said to be a living document, because it can be edited, amended; changed at the will of the people to suit the peoples' needs. In that same vein, Anonymous is a living idea. Anonymous is an idea that can be edited, updated, remanded, changed on a whim. We are living consciousness. We are not a terrorist organization as governments, demagogues, and the media would have you believe. At this time Anonymous is a consciousness focused on campaigning peacefully for Freedom of Speech. We ask the world to support us, not for our sake, but for your own. When governments control freedom they control you. The Internet is the last bastion of freedom in this evolving technical world. The Internet is capable of connecting us all. When we are connected we are strong. When we are strong we have power. When we have power we are able to do the impossible. This is why the government is moving on Wikileaks. This is what they fear. They fear our power when we unite. Do not forget this.


"...Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men."
- Monsignor, Boondock Saints


Anonymous' intentions are very clear. We are not vigilantes, regardless of the sentiment of quoting Boondock Saints, we are people on a campaign for freedom. Anonymous' intentions are to change the current way the governments of the world and the people view true Freedom of Speech and The Internet. Anonymous is willing, ready, and able to campaign for the freedom for all. We are campaigning right now as you read the news, watch the television, fight with your significant other, love your children, hate your neighbor, criticize the man or woman next to you. We are campaigning. The goal is simple: Win the right to keep the Internet free of any control from any entity, corporation, or government. We will do this until our, proverbial, dying breath. We do this not only for our selves, but for the world and its people at large.


"Truth is treason in the empire of lies."
- Ron Paul


Pay attention citizens, governments, and the world. Anonymous' peaceful campaign will focus on any organization, corporation, government, or entity until the Internet is truly free.
Anonymous is doing what many successful campaigns have done in the past; a sit-in. It may be hard to comprehend, but a digital sit-in is our most effective method to show that all of us deserve Freedom of Speech and a free Internet. Our methods may appear, on the outside, to be cruel to those the entities that we are campaigning against, but remember buy supporting censorship they are denying everyone a basic human right. Any person, corporation, government, or miscellaneous entity that stops supporting censorship and starts promoting Freedom of Speech and a free Internet will become our allies. Anonymous, at this time, wants to persuade our counterparts rather than hurt them. We are campaigning for freedom for everyone, even the opposing side.
Do not fear us. Anonymous' campaign does not intend to harm the individual citizen, any organizations, any websites, or government, that supports true freedom of speech. Anonymous' past is not our present. We are here for all of you; to campaign for all of you. Where others have made this promise and failed; we make this promise and aim to keep it for everyone.
Anything attributed, credited, or tagged to Anonymous is not always what we do. We arenot always the same consciousness on a yearly, monthly, or even hourly basis. Do not believe everything you hear or read on the news. Anonymous is often credited with actions that are not campaigned for by Anonymous. The true core of Anonymous is here to help the free world for now. Anonymous wishes to represent the truth and ask that you as a citizen, media organization, or government do the same.

http://anonops.blogspot.com/

[laughingliberal]

1. K & R nt

[leftstreet]

2. K&R

Thanks for posting this

[madmax]

3. K & R

:kick:

[the redcoat]

4. Damn, 4chan does it again

Way to go, guys.

[hootinholler]

38. I don't think this is 4chan

Something else entirely.

-Hoot

[Sheepshank]

40. I was wondering why this is linked to 4chan too n/t

[hootinholler]

41. Because 4chan/b is often referred to as anonymous

But all anonymous are not the same.

-Hoot

[the redcoat]

60. This has roots in 4chan, the video KO showed made it obvious

There are, what you might call "telltale signs" that make it obvious (to people that can recognize them).

First, "Anonymous" used as a term for the name of a faceless group nearly always points to 4chan
The Guy Fawkes and V for Vendetta imagery points to 4chan
And, most telling and exclusive to 4chan is the phrase "over 9000." Some people may remember Oprah mentioning a while back a group of pedophiles that had "over 9000" members. In literal terms, it means 7, but in terms of this event and the Oprah event, it's essentially an inside joke, and has no solid numerical meaning.

[NuclearDem]

67. The over 9000 thing can be a /b/ thing, but it's definitely become a whole internet thing

But yeah, Anonymous is made up of a lot of different groups, but 4chan is by and large their de facto headquarters.

[Tunkamerica]

71. well, let's just say that some people who hang around 4chan

also identify with Anonymous. Obviously Anon is not 4chan and 4chan not Anon, but they share members.

[Blue_In_AK]

5. That was awesome.

Thanks.

[Catherina]

8. I got chills reading it. Welcome to the first Cyber War n/t

[calimary]

11. No kidding.

Giving me chills as well.

[Occam Bandage]

53. This ain't a war. Yet.

Right now, it's mostly just script kiddies DDOSing websites. The people who actually know how to get shit done aren't really getting involved at this point, because (for the most part) they have actual jobs and responsibilities and don't want to risk that for kicks. That isn't to say that they couldn't be spurred to action, but it would take quite a bit more than we've seen so far.

[mdmc]

62. me too..

[Newest Reality]

6. Come Together!

It begins.

Where? Maybe there. Maybe here. Who knows. Anonymous is as Anonymous does. No one place and at any given anytime. Could be anyone, anywhere.

Sometimes you might even keep it from yourself until you realize ...

Anonymous is legion!

[Duppers]

12. but is it a sustainable effort?

Been exchanging emails w/my son (a grad student) tonight regarding this. His last comment on the subject:

"An organized 4chan is truly terrifying. They're probably the single most powerful force on the web - no joke. Most of anon posters are raving idiots, but they generate memes. The majority of anon are silent, intelligent, and talented with computers. While the contents of the site suggests the news release is more the exception than the norm, I would beg to differ - the frontmen of /b/ are not the majority.

Go 4chan! Never thought I'd say that."

[Catherina]

16. Can you translate some of that into English for foreigners please?

Most of anon posters are raving idiots, but they generate memes. The majority of anon are silent, intelligent, and talented with computers.

Is he talking about the same group here or two different things?

the frontmen of /b/ are not the majority.

What's /b/ ?

Thanks Duppers

[Duppers]

21. 4chan info

/b/ is shorthand for 4chan's "Random" board, which is "by far its most popular and notorious feature. Known as "/b/", there are very minimal rules on posted content..."

May I suggest reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4chan

Unbeknownst to most, 4chan generates 4% of total web-traffic around the globe. Un.f'n.believable, uh?
As a group, they are to be reckoned with, IF they can organize for any length of time. What they dearly oppose, above all, is censorship! Most any kind of censorship. This is why they feel a 'kinship' w/Assange and wikileaks.

I do not read 4chan (my son told me I would find too much of it offensive but he knows I'm not easily offended). They've done a few good things, some bad, but mostly just benign crap.

What folks are underestimating their 4chan's power when they're motivated.

Also see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/09/AR2010080906102.html?hpid=topnews


Hope this helps, Catherina. Thanks for your great OP. Cheers.




"Truth is treason in the empire of lies."
- Ron Paul
(No matter the source, if truth is spoken, I'll share it. -d)

[Catherina]

31. Thank you! n/t

[TygrBright]

61. Heh. Listen to yer son.

Much of /b/ is over-the-top offensive. They play the "shock me/shock u" dozens relentlessly, coming up with graphic images, text, links, etc. as an exercise in... well, I don't know what to call it. They seem to be in an ever-escalating contest to find new ways to offend based on race, religion, gender, sexual practice, experience on the website itself, cereal preference, you name it. "Fetid swamp" comes to mind.

That said, they are genuinely a community. And they are united by one overriding priority: anti-censorship.

And in spite of the puerile level of much of the discourse, the individual participants are anything but puerile. They know the Tubes like no other community. They are connected across the Tubes in ways that DARPA can only wet-dream about.

And the ONLY rules they play by are their own. Which are idiosyncratic, individualistic, and occult. Nevertheless, they do have rules. As best I can make it out (and my research is limited by my ability to absorb grotesque and revolting content, so it's only a first-approximation hypothesis) those rules devolve to:

Imperil not the overall health and functionality of the Tubes.
Allow those who wish to segregate themselves behind walls of censorship to do so unmolested. (But not unmocked. And only so long as they do not attempt to extend those censoring walls to encompass those who believe in total freedom of expression.)
Take not the Name of Anonymous, nor its symbols, nor its ideals, in vain.

And they are the pebbles that presage the avalanche.

Get out of the way.

helpfully,
Bright

[Duppers]

81. Thanks, Bright.

Thanks for better articulating what I was trying to say. (My sleep deprivation didn't help my already limited skills. ;))

It seems that DUers are catching on too....to the fact that Anonymous (/b/) is truly a force to be reckoned with.

They've been awakened and are ready to sustain the effort. There's a change coming.

[Raksha]

84. Thank you, Bright. You communicated their essence on a very deep, intuitive level.

I am rapidly developing a new appreciation for the Trickster archetype. I always had a healthy respect for it, but what I mean here is appreciation. That's a whole other thing.

[Catherina]

89. Thanks. That was excellent. n/t

[mdmc]

63. thanks..

[Duppers]

82. very welcome!

nt

[TheMuse]

79. Again....

Rules 1 & 2

[TheMuse]

78. Rules 1 & 2

[Duppers]

83. 'cuse me?

rules 1 & 2?

[TheMuse]

85. the rules

Rule 1....Don't talk about /b/

Rule 2.....DON'T TALK ABOUT /b/

[Duppers]

87. ;)

okaaay. ;)

[DearAbby]

7. Anonymous Smiley Applauds and bounces

:applause: :bounce: K&R

[David Zephyr]

9. K&R.

Everything to the photo, too!

[Catherina]

10. Thank you David

:hug:

[sabrina 1]

13. Strange. I always wished that since the Global Capitalists

appear to have no allegiance to any country, but feed off all countries, that ordinary people around the world could unite and fight for the preservation of democracy, but it was only a wish. I knew the people of Iraq eg, wre not our enemies, or the people of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran.

A few years ago I was on a site where there were people from many Muslim countries and from Europe, Africa and the U.S. We talked about this, how we were not enemies but our governments divided us and we wondered what people could do to stop governments from making people think they were enemies.

It was a wonderful experience, right in the middle of the Iraq war. And the women from Jordan, one man from Iraq, from the UAE, all wanted peace. We shared information about food, culture, movies. I remember asking if they had comedians in Iraq eg. They were wonderful people. But we could not figure out how to get people together from all over the world, and make it impossible for governments to make enemies of those who were not enemies.

But now, this could be happening. I am excited to see the response from all around the world. A people's united front against tyranny, and it is tyranny. They are trying to hide their REAL crimes. The slaughter the torture the theft of resources, the assassinations, and all for profit. And they call Julian Assange a 'criminal'?

I just signed a petition posted here and saw people signing from all over the world every second, in defense of free speech.

I am sad that it is THIS country that has created the need for this, the first cyber war really. I wish it had been China or some other country. :cry:

[Catherina]

15. Wonderful post Sabrina

Don't be sad :hug:

The times they are a-changing :)

Those corrupt toads at the top thought they had divided us. They really thought we bought their bullshit that we're enemies just because we were born in different places, through no merit or fault of our own.

I'm deriving immense satisfaction from watching them scurry about like roaches when the light gets turned on. If they touch a hair on Julian's head or unjustly sentence him, there will be international hell to pay, out in the streets. I hope they're not that foolish.

Lieberman and enough of those vindictive old fools are. And Obama's Nobel Peace Prize just became the laughing stock of the world. So much has been exposed that they'll be branded as criminals in the next Zinn type history books.

I wish Zinn were around to see this. He'd be pounding away on new bookS with each leaky day.

:hug:

[dgibby]

28. And Carlin, Ivans, Ann Richards.

They'd all be dancing in the streets!

[sabrina 1]

35. Speaking of the Nobel Peace prize, wouldn't it be awesome

if Julian Assange won it this year? He has won other awards but it might bring back some legitimacy to the prize after awarding it to yet another U.S. warmonger.

Thank you for your kind words. The times ARE changing.

And I agree, if they are stupid enough to harm him, there will be a backlash they could not have imagined. I don't think they are that stupid. I think they will try to make a deal with him.

I am enjoyign it too. Finally, a little satisfaction for the 'lesser people' who ARE realizing there is strength in numbers. I've seen calls for people in different countries to unite. It's wonderful.

I wonder, will they shut down the internet when they realize they cannot control it.?

Over 2000 sites now mirroring Wikileaks!! People are NOT afraid of them. :applause: for all the Wikileaks troops. He did warn them, they could not stop it. They would have to shut down the internet :-)

[Occam Bandage]

52. Liu Xiaobo is by no means a "US warmonger."

Or are you referring to the 2009 prize?

[sabrina 1]

57. Yes! 2009. I know that Xiaobo Liu deserved the prize.

My mistake for not clarifying.

[Raksha]

86. I would LOVE to see Julian Assange win the Nobel Prize!!!

It probably won't happen, but I can still dream...

[Duppers]

22. 'leaking' is much more difficult in China

Oh, there's a need every where, in every country.

If Chinese citizens had a way (the net is too monitored and censored there), China would be thrown in the pot w/all other countries that need to be exposed. As you probably well know, China's govt. backs corrupt governments around the planet for their own gains. Not many whistle-blowers are brave enough to come out there because their govt. uses the death penalty liberally.

[sabrina 1]

23. Yes, I know that. Did you know that it was Chinese dissidents

who founded Wikileaks along with several others? For the exact reasons you mention, I am sure. Many of those involved in the running of Wikileaks are Chinese. And Wikileaks HAS exposed corruption in many countries around the world. The U.S. hypocritically, did not accuse them of illegalities when they did so even when those other countries did.

They are very brave people. They were making enemies even before the U.S. They expose corruption everywhere but have to depend on brave whistle blowers some of whom are risking death to provide them with material.

[Duppers]

24. thanks

I was just replying to your statement: "I am sad that it is THIS country that has created the need for this." Which, I interrupted to mean that the US alone has created the need. Sorry.


(Btw, I spent a month in China this Sept. & Oct. and I love the Chinese people.)

[sabrina 1]

25. Ah, I was not clear. I meant that we might expect this kind of

behavior from China, and I would rather this cyber war was aimed at them, sad that the U.S. has now sunk to the levels of totalitarian regimes, censoring the press with no regard for the truth.

I have a friend who visits China often. She is an artist and has studied Chinese art and she too, loves the people :-)

[Violet_Crumble]

14. K&R

I would like to know how a group that has a hive-mind and no leadership manages to come up with something coherent to say? I'm actually in awe that they're able to do that...

For anyone who's trying to keep track, here's the link to the newest Operation Payback page at Facebook. I don't know how long it'll last before Facebook deletes it

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000488727557#!/pages/Operation-Payback/163859246989155

[Catherina]

17. Lol. They already have 313 friends!

[Violet_Crumble]

19. It just got deleted n/t

[Pharaoh]

30. So to help in a DOSA

one just needs to log on to a specific web address?

[Catherina]

32. I'm no expert but I think you need to do more than log on

I know of three ways. You can ping them with CMD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ac7VD7guWk&feature=related Or you auto register a ton of users http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3OZq_9Ex_I&feature=related or use Perl scripting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ_DpjLwgZo&feature=related

All this is done behind proxies so it's harder to trace you.

There are also automated programs like here http://pastehtml.com/view/1c8i33u.html (ignore the warning, it's just a static page).


I'm sure there are more sophisticated ways that the people who do it know about. Those are the only ones I know.

[Tunkamerica]

72. no, there are programs to download which you then point towards

those ip's. Theoretically, if everyone on the internet tried to visit one IP at the same time, it might do the same thing.

[Hannah Bell]

18. beware of heroes.

[hootinholler]

39. Yep

Look at B.O. I thought he was a hero...

-Hoot

[malaise]

20. K & R

V

[Poboy]

26. recommend.

[Autumn Colors]

27. K&R (nt)

[TornadoTN]

29. So much for the meme "Kids in moms basement"

I stand with Anonymous. There are some intelligent and reasoned folks in that group, even though there are many who just do it for the lulz.


Why so puddi?

[Catherina]

33. Lol! I peeked too. I stand with them also. n/t

[GliderGuider]

34. Very, very nice. I stand with Anonymous.

It's about fucking time.

[bvar22]

36. Who is this "anonymous" you speak of....

...and Whats Up with all those people wearing the same funny mask?


K&R
---V

[Sheepshank]

37. Frankly, the tone of their note grates. Don't agree justifying actions in "what's best for me"

So fine, they should do their stuff make government transparent.

But with this statement, they seem to be telling me that they know what's best for me. Not a whole lot different than the current idealism they are fighting. If the statement was left to describe what they are doing rather than why they are doing it, it would be less.......annoying.

They tell us that what we know about them is irrelevant, except they have taken on the task of telling us what to think. We don't have the right to know who is attempting to train our thinking? In this cynical world, I'm to trust their intentions and not question who they are? I don't think so. I used to me a mormon...that was one time too many to put blind faith in an organizations perspective of right or wrong.

"What you do or do not know about us is irrelevant. We have decided to write to you..."

"Anonymous' intentions are to change the current way the governments of the world and the people view true Freedom of Speech"

[Tunkamerica]

73. I think you missed a whole section

Anonymous is a lot of different people who all believe in anti-censorship among other things. If you want to know specific members then you're out of luck due to the group having no static membership. It's a movement, that, for the time being, has no leader and membership list.

[me b zola]

42. K&R

[emilyg]

43. kr

[ooglymoogly]

44. Tremors of things and greatnesses not seen by the younger generations.

may the forces of good prevail. The hairs on the back of my neck are applauding.

[avaistheone1]

47. I have been thinking along the same lines for the last few days.

[snot]

45. Have you seen this? Thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ1qi9gz7UU&feature=related

[Catherina]

91. The comments should have clued you in

There is no enigma or authenticity her., it is cynical farce....It is an attempt to dilute and demonize the real Anon whoever he/she may be, with self serving garbage. typical of dumb gubments to destroy truth wherever it raises its blinding head. Nothing in this clip resembles anything Anon has said or done. Propaganda is the art of turning the good into bad and this is propaganda.

[guyton]

46. "but remember buy supporting censorship ..."

Nuts, I couldn't find a URL to purchase this ... :-)

Ok, I just have a hard time taking anything seriously that has spelling errors.

This reminds me of my kids' attempts to organize their elementary school class to
fight the injustices suffered at the hands of the teaching aids during recess.

My reaction is just ...

Aww ... how cute. Wonder what they'll do when they grow up?

:-)

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

75. See, I don't really care about spelling

I'm all college educated and stuff. Married an english major even. Standardized spelling and grammar is a relatively new invention. Read some of the best political propaganda prior to say 1940, and there are plenty of spelling mistakes. For almost all of human history spelling things phonetically has been just fine with everyone. Although, there is probably some 4th grade teacher somewhere extremely happy that you believe in proper spelling as much as you do.

Most of the world through history has been illiterate. Even today lots of the world probably is. Probably half the kids I went to college with don't know a there from a their.

Is this really how I'm supposed to form ideas? Over spelling?

And either way, spelling changes. It's a very fluid thing. Definitely not something I'd get too stuck up with. It's like being adamant that the time is exactly 12:06 for more than 60 seconds. You tend to not keep up with where the present is taking you...

[TBF]

48. Free Julian. nt

[NoPasaran]

49. Reads like the Unabomber's manifesto

Jumbo tub of crap

[kenfrequed]

54. Laughably inaccurate

I somehow doubt these people have much in common with a technophobic luddite in terms of operation. In terms of goals theirs don't seem inimical with most of ours. In terms of tactics they couldn't be more different. And in terms of tone, had you actually read the Unabombers screed, it would be difficult for it to be much different.

I really don't understand the point of your post. Why not just accurately reflect your own opinion and say 'I disagree' with the possible inclusion of 'this makes me nervous,' 'this concerns me,' or 'I find this laughable.'

Rubbing a luddite bomber up against cyber activists indicates to me that you didn't understand either of them.

[walldude]

59. Yeah those terrorist bastards...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[RetroLounge]

64. Do you get paid by the terrorist mention?

:rofl:

RL

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Prophet 451]

58. That's part of it

Although it's more like 95/5. Anonymous as an entity is a LOT bigger than 4chan though.

[Gizmodeus]

51. K&R'ed

With a middle finger to all those in power.

[Swamp Rat]

55. k&r

[Kaleko]

56. I am Anonymous

[amborin]

65. K&R

[Wednesdays]

66. Love the pic in the OP.

:evilgrin:

[Catherina]

90. ROFL! n/t

[pmorlan1]

68. Civil Disobedience At It's Best

Thank you for your efforts. I for one support you. Instead of blocking traffic with people carrying picket signs you are blocking internet traffic with virtual picket signs. Excellent! I salute your creativity!

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

77. they used to call these "onilne sit-ins"

I took part it one a long time ago - around 2003 or 4. It either had something to do with the war or animal testing, I forget. They seem to be better organized now though - I think if they would use that same term that people used back then they would get more sympathy from the cranky liberals who think direct action is more romantic and historic than it is. On the other hand, there's really no reason to worry about their sympathy.

But it's pretty much the exact same thing as a sit-in or picket. I wonder how many people who demonize these actions recognize the fact that there were scared and bewildered people demonizing the fights of the past for no real reason except that they were scared and bewildered?

[beforeyoureyes]

69. A proud and hearty KICK AND RECOMMEND

Thank you, Anonymous

[ProudDad]

70. K&R

and V for Vendetta was a really fine movie...

[bigwillq]

74. K and R (nt)

[The Doctor.]

76. "Fiat Lux"

Was wondering when and how this would manifest.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

80. V

Great post, Catherina

Thank you! :thumbsup:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

88. kick

:kick: