[tor-talk] Non-free country law preventing Tor from getting donations (was: Andrew's May 2014)

[Sebastian G. <bastik.tor>]

Andrew wrote:
> # Highlights
> (...)
>  - Looked into legality of receiving a large financial donation from a
> country on the US Treasury embargoed list. Unsurprisingly, we cannot
> accept such a donation due to the source.

That has to be a violation of your rights.

Whatever country gives you money in form of an donation should be
perfectly fine. You are not doing business with them, they give you the
money an that's it. (Otherwise it wouldn't be a donation. If I demand
something specific for the money it is no longer a donation, it becomes
sponsorship or a business relationship.)

Money is speech, isn't it? It's just a promise.* If that is true, then
preventing you from taking money is a violation of your first amendment.

Couldn't this country pay coders, working under their guidance? Code is
speech as well. I understand that this is difficult, because money does
nothing. You take money from the US government and that itself won't try
anything stupid, however some payed coders working for some government
(or company) might attempt such thing.

Money is money; independent from the source.

If payed contribution is ruled out for that donor (whoever that is),
because of its country how could the money get to you? Maybe the donor
gives it to some middle-man that is not on the blacklist. The middle-man
then transfers the money to you. (This has to be legal, because that is
done with weapons as well. Countries not allowed to sell weapons to some
country, sell it to their friendly surrounding countries and the weapons
end up where they were wanted in the first place.)

I'm not living in your country, but would it help to write some
congressman? It truly has to be handled in a different way for
non-profit organizations. (Especially for those that physically help
people, e.g. medical help.)

Best Regards,
Sebastian G. (bastik)

* All your (and my) money (paper, coins, digital) isn't worth much,
without common acceptance. Mostly bound to a single entity like the
state issuing the money. (I'm not allowed to print it myself.) The
entity controls what the money is worth. It promises to stay behind its
currency in order to let you obtain goods for it.