I am deeply saddened to learn that the tech legal blog Groklaw.net is ceasing operations due to concerns about the security of their email.  

…the conclusion I’ve reached is that there is no way to continue doing Groklaw, not long term, which is incredibly sad. But it’s good to be realistic. And the simple truth is, no matter how good the motives might be for collecting and screening everything we say to one another, and no matter how “clean” we all are ourselves from the standpoint of the screeners, I don’t know how to function in such an atmosphere. I don’t know how to do Groklaw like this.

I am sympathetic to PJ here.  Email has always been terribly insecure and the shutdown of the two secure email hosting sites (Lavabit and Silent Circle) due to government tampering has been a big blow for those who wish their communication to be between them and no one else.

However.

I also disagree with this decision quite vehemently.  For service providers who would be unable to provide their services in an environment of snooping, I understand, but this is fundamentally an issue of law and of politics for which communication, audience, and expertise are going to be of utmost importance.  Groklaw embodies all three and would have been a valuable allied in the upcoming (and protracted) fight that these revelations are going to involve.  

All of this has come to light through the self sacrifice of individuals: Edward Snowden, Glen Greenwald, David Miranda. However, to win this, we do not need more principled suicides.  We need a different sort of sacrifice: to know that they are listening and to speak anyway.