This month we talk to a man who many have heard of over the past several years, Master Kwahraw. He’s been the hot subject of several boards, though it is debatable on at least two of the boards as to whether they are Gorean boards in that the sole topic seems to be how we cannot exist. For those of you who don’t read some of the ‘National Gorean Enquirer’ boards, you may be asking why Master Kwahraw is famous, or infamous, in the Gor-baiting circles.

Because of a belief in responsible journalism, whereby one does not take quotes or events out of context, or obtrusively misquote, it was decided to give people a chance to meet the real Master Kwahraw. This column will attempt to correct, or at least lay out the facts for people to make their own judgments, some of those half-truths and deliberate partial reporting that two non-Goreans have projected, at least one of whom has admitted that it was deliberately done in an attempt to cast Master Kwahraw in a bad light.

Got your interest yet? Just what has he done that is so horrific? To be blunt, he has the distinction of having undergone prosecution under 18 U.S.C. S 1030 (the federal hacker statute, as it is sometimes known) in the military. The case began on November 18, 1997, when his room at the Air Force Academy was searched by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), a branch similar to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. At that time, his computer was seized, along with all the notes, any papers with any type of notation pertaining to computers, including the honor code handbook which had some notes on it. He was questioned and cooperated fully, including telling them fully about the account at icomnet.com that Rod Cordova, a friend, had given him.

He was eventually charged with three instances of breaking into 3 commercial internet service providers. The second charge involved allegedly operating an Undernet mIRC server on his computer connected to the USAF network. He faced a maximum of 17 years in jail and up to $58,000 in damages.

How did this all come about? It reads like a Keystone Cop movie and should be a warning to all who may be involved in computers - that the general public, including judges, attorneys, and juries of peers, do not have working knowledge of computers. In fact, the OSI report published after a six-month analysis of Master Kwahraw’s computer stated several ‘conclusions’ which would later weigh heavily in the minds of the military jury: BitchX is a ‘hacking utility’; Eggdrops are usually illegally (important word here to remember is illegal which implants a suggestion to the jury that all eggdrops are illegally utilized) installed on linux systems and then used for IRC. For those non-computer types, there are a lot of egg-drop ‘bots’ sitting on mIRC channels, holding channels open, giving information, etc. and they were not illegally installed on linux systems, unless the person who owns the bot happens to have a linux system; these bots were installed by their owners for very innocuous use. Another bit of ‘misinformation’ which weighed heavily was that the Undernet server is an illegal hacker venue for the illegal (there are those words again) exchange of information and the server is highly used by pedophiles for the exchange of pictures, preying, etc. This type of statement made the defense expert, Lt. Colonel (now Colonel) Gregory B. White, who holds a PhD in Computer Science and is considered one of the AF’s leading computer security experts, as well as having been a published author of books and articles on computer security, wonder just what nefarious activities are going on in a Catholic chat channel. When a channel listing was run on July 29, 2001, there were no less than nine Bible channels listed, as well as eighteen various Christian channels, a Britney Spears channel, and numerous other channels which it was readily apparent had nothing to do with hacking.

The facts in the case are simple. The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) blocked direct access to IRC due to concerns that their public image may suffer if users of the .mil network made politically incorrect statements on-line or discussed sensitive information either knowingly or unknowingly. There remains some speculation among the USAFA personnel responsible for administering the system as to whether or not the connection through another account violated that restriction. Master Kwahraw was contacted through email by a friend that he used to chat with on IRC and asked why he no longer was on-line in or about July of 1997. He explained the situation of the ban on direct IRC from the military network, and his friend suggested telnetting, allowing Master Kwahraw to use his account on wildstar.net. Sometime in August of 1997, he got his own account at Wildstar and used it to connect to IRC, chatting with friends and family on the Undernet server. He eventually became an IRC operator on the Austnet server when Jason Cook (aka delusion, nite-), an on-line friend, told Master Kwahraw that he and a friend, Rod Cordova (aka Hog, an important nickname to remember, and now B-) were operating a mIRC server on Austnet.

Cordova (Hog), who was an administrator for Austnet, set up an account on landoflakes.com for Master Kwahraw with the login as ‘kwahraw’ which has been Master Kwahraw’s nickname on IRC for many years. Cordova admits to having given the account to Master Kwahraw. After a week or so of use, Cordova explained to Master Kwahraw that the overall systems administrator for Landoflakes had told Cordova to remove all the shell accounts except for Cook’s and his own. At this point, Master Kwahraw went back to the Wildstar account which was not as user friendly as Landoflakes. Wildstar utilized a program which required the user to clear the screen every time it filled up, unlike Landoflakes which ran BitchX.

Shortly after the removal of the Landoflakes account, Cordova volunteered to set up an account for Master Kwahraw on icomnet.com which he asserted he was the system administrator. The account worked well for about three weeks. It was at this point that Master Kwahraw attempted to login and was unable to do so (login attempt and failure number one). He switched over to the Wildstar account and found Cordova online to ask him what was wrong with the account. He was told that Cordova was having problems with the system and to try logging in again, using both Master Kwahraw’s account (kwahraw) and Cordova’s account (Hog). Both attempts failed (login and failure attempts number two, as well as an attempt as Hog which was traced back to Master Kwahraw and eventually used by the prosecution as ‘proof’ that Master Kwahraw was the hacker). Once again he discussed the failures with Cordova who said he would try to fix the problem, but didn’t know if he could.

Shortly thereafter, Cordova again talked to Master Kwahraw, stating that one of his friends at OIB.com could set him up with an account. Master Kwahraw used the OIB account once or twice and then went back to the slower, less friendly Wildstar account when he became tired of going back and forth between shell providers. He had someone install BitchX (which the prosecution contended was a ‘hacking utility’) on his Wildstar account and continued to use it.

Some people may be uncertain as to what BitchX and eggdrops really do. It was a very simple matter to do a bit of web-surfing and find the homepage for BitchX, as well as lots of information on eggdrops. What BitchX does can be found on the BitchX website as well as a FAQ page for those wanting more information BitchX FAQs. A good source of information about the purpose and use of eggdrops can be found at Eggdrops for those who may want additional information.

After a six-month investigation during which the OSI lab analyzed the data found on his computer extensively, a report was issued in which there was found ‘no evidence supporting an intrusion allegation’, no hacking notes was found in his room, no Unix books. There was information within the report about the name ‘Hog’ which Master Kwahraw had used once as told to do by Cordova in an attempt to log onto the icomnet.com account. Apparently Hog had gone from the icomnet.com account to bunting.com, another ISP in Dallas, Texas, and done some damage there, and moving on to do more damage at touché.com, another ISP in California. Icomnet is the only server having a kwahraw account, while each of the hacked companies had a Hog (Cordova) account. The prosecution and OSI contended that Master Kwahraw was ‘Hog’ because of the failed login.

Almost a year later, on September 16, 1998, the equivalent of a civilian Grand Jury investigation was held known in the military as an Article 32 hearing. Captain McGrath, who testified at the actual trial that she was a "6 out of 10" in understanding computers felt that the matter needed to proceed because BitchX was found both on Master Kwahraw’s computer and on the hacked sites. It is somewhat ironic that Lt. Colonel Gregory B. White, the defense expert witness who holds a PhD in Computer Science and was considered one of the AF’s leading computer security experts, as well as having been a published author of books and articles on computer security, would only classify himself as a ‘7 or 8 out of 10’.

Cordova was questioned by OSI officers while under subpoena. Antionline who has been following the entire matter states that Cordova "gave statements to OSI officers which included "I know what hacking is, I've hacked before, I gave Chris an account on landoflakes, I work with an SGI (silicon Graphics machines were the ones attacked in every circumstance), I have given out free accounts before"." It is important to remember that Cordova used the name ‘Hog’ during this entire time.

There was a security briefing on computer security which the defense expert, Colonel White, was required to attend by virtue of his position held the day before the Article 32 hearing. The two OSI officers conducting that briefing repeatedly stated that they were not experts on computers or computer security and that they believed that the audience should be doing the instructing. It is important to note that one of the officers had been a fraud investigator for a number of years and the other OSI officer was brand new. These two OSI officers were responsible for investigating this matter for the Air Force. It was, understandably, given their backgrounds, their first computer security case.

The Article 32 hearing went very well for the defense, or so they believed. By the time Colonel White had finished testifying, the only question that the prosecution had was ‘who do you think did it then?’ Another important fact is that Colonel White came into the case unsolicited by either Master Kwahraw or the defense attorneys. In fact, it was another cadet who approached him and said that he thought Master Kwahraw was unjustly accused and could use his help. After reviewing the ‘evidence’, Colonel White felt that it was obvious that Master Kwahraw was not guilty and approached the defense.

The Article 32 hearing resulted in the second charge (operating an Undernet mIRC server on his computer connected to the USAF network) being dropped. Whether chatting on IRC through a non-military isp is against regulations or not is still a matter that is not clear according to the instructors and even computer security personnel.

During civilian trials, the prosecution is required to advise defense of any evidence immediately. They must duly disclose upon what they are formulating their prosecution. Most judges will either dismiss evidence not duly disclosed and bar it from being admitted into trial or will severely reprimand the prosecution for attempting to broadside the defense. Too, under the military rules of evidence, guiding military courts, the same rule is supposed to be applied. Repeatedly throughout this matter, the prosecution continued to introduce ‘newly found’ evidence even after assuring the courts and defense that no further logs or evidence existed.

In February of 1999, an Article 32A hearing was held. In civilian parlance that would be the equivalent of a preliminary hearing in which the judge determines preliminary motions. It was at this time that a motion for a new Article 32 hearing was introduced by the defense based upon prosecution withholding evidence. The hearing officer testified when asked that she was a ‘6 out of 10’ in computer knowledge (remember that the defense expert would only rank himself a 7 or 8 out of 10 regardless of his vast knowledge) and stated, after a 5 minute discussion with the prosecution over hundreds of pages of logs, that the fact the cadet (Master Kwahraw) was not logged in at the same time as the hacker ‘Hog’ would not have influenced her decision to forward the matter to trial. (It is ironic to note that the ‘6 out of 10’ hearing officer also had to have the term ‘icon’ explained to her.) All defense motions were denied.

The judge, rather than sending the matter back or allowing the defense additional time to prepare a proper defense based upon analysis of the ‘newly’ acquired evidence, instructed the defense attorneys (who are military attorneys and appointed by the military) that they were negligent and doing an inadequate job in defending their client and that they should not have believed the prosecution when they stated that the firewall logs did not exist and were not present. After listening to the judge’s opinion and tirade about his defense attorneys, Master Kwahraw fired them both.

When asked by a shocked judge why he was firing his defense attorneys (which in essence delayed the trial, permitting time to analyze the new evidence), Master Kwahraw stated that he had no confidence in his attorneys. It would actually be very amusing, if it were not so appalling, that the judge asked why Master Kwahraw had no confidence in the ability of his attorneys to present an adequate defense. Master Kwahraw told the judge that his opinion was based upon the judge’s opinion that was on the Article 32A hearing record that the defense attorneys were inept and doing an inadequate job of defense.

One week before the trial was due to start on March 8, 1999, the defense was still receiving new evidentiary evidence. Master Kwahraw and his parents had contacted a civilian attorney (under military regulation, a civilian attorney may appear along with the military attorneys). They retained Mr. Frank Spinner, a well-known attorney, who was involved in the trial of the U.S. Marine Captain who had clipped the cable car in Italy, in another matter and requested a one-month delay from the court to accommodate that current trial. The motion was denied by the judge who, on the record, declared that not every person was entitled to a ‘F. Lee Bailey, Johnny Cochran" caliber of attorney and pulled a magazine from his bench, holding it up to show the names of other attorneys who were versed in this type of case and suggesting that Mr. Spinner had been retained as a delay tactic because the defendant knew that he was currently in trial. From a legal standpoint, the concept of an attorney of the defendant’s choice is a well-known right and it is rare that the court will not grant a delay based upon the attorney being unable by prior commitment to participate actively in his client’s defense.

The trial was held and the defendant, Master Kwahraw, was found not guilty of the charge of hacking into the three commercial sites. He was, however, found guilty of the lesser included offense of accessing a system and recklessly causing damage on the icomnet system. The problem with this guilty verdict is that the damages listed were not caused by the individual who accessed, or tried to access, the system, but by the hacker who actually penetrated the system and set up the unauthorized accounts. One of the commercial account administrators had testified that he and Hog had an on-going ‘war’ and that he would find Hog on the system, kick and ban him from the system, denying Hog access, and within five minutes Hog would be back on. Too, it is interesting to note that no Air Force security measures that should have been tripped in the course of any hacking (either coming into, or coming from) the Air Force network were tripped. Cordova, who used the name Hog, admitted to having knowledge and having hacked was also listed as the prosecution witness.

All of the evidence grabbed was mIRC activity that was banned by the USAFA while using the .mil sign-on, but remains a gray area as to whether such activity is permissible by military personnel using telnetting on a separate account, and, as such, that charge had been dropped against Master Kwahraw.

Under USC Section 1030(a)(S)(5), there is a minimum of $5000 or more of damages for prosecution under specific statute limitations. This statute states "intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, and, as a result of such conduct, recklessly causes damages." The damages listed by the witnesses were $6300 based upon time necessary to return the system to original condition (63 hours at $100 per hour) because of the penetration.

The commercial sites all agreed that the damages were not caused by the person accessing the site, but rather by the person who penetrated the site (the hacker. Both Antionline, a computer security site, who extensively investigated this matter and others believe the hacker to be Cordova. The jury was not specifically advised to take these requirements into deliberation.

He is employed by a major financial institution and in law school, both of which did extensive investigations into the matter before hiring him and allowing him into the educational program.

One of the questions that was posed to Master Kwahraw was the differences between the military system of justice and the civilian courts with which this one is most familiar.

I suppose there are several big differences. First of all, there is no grand jury process. That means that there is no need to find that sufficient evidence exists to bring a case to trial. They do have a article 32 hearing. The officer at the hearing makes a recommendation to forward charges to trial, or not, however that recommendation doesn't need to be followed. In my case, the officer recommended dismissal of several of the charges that did not occur (all were forwarded to General Court Martial). The other big difference is the fact that the prosecutor's office selects the jury pool. In other words, in the military system, a jury can be hand picked. While they are supposed to, by the rules, not select a jury to get a certain result, the possibility exists. The legal requirement, on appeal, is that the defense prove not only that the jury was handpicked, but also that it was done to gain a certain result. There's some other differences as well, most notably that the judge, and prosecutors, and, unless the defense requests, the defense attorneys, are all judge advocates. From a procedural and rule perspective, there are a lot of differences. Military rules of evidence vary from the civilian counterparts in that they are promulgated from the President, not Congress and the Courts. In this case, we dumped a great deal of log files on the jury, while also presenting expert testimony as to their contents. The prosecution did the same, in terms of raw log files. I don't think they did a great deal of interpretation. A number of experts testified, and I took the stand as well.

It is important that the facts be presented to the Gorean community without ulterior motives. The question was posed to Master Kwahraw: "Is it safe to say that there is a faction of people who talk about Gorean matters that are using only excerpts of these charges to cast aspirations on you for their own nebulous gratification without revealing all the facts?"

Sure that’s a safe assumption. When you cannot argue, or are simply wrong, a typical tactic is to attack those of the other side. I think that’s gone on in a few cases, and it doesn't extend to just myself. If these folks were legitimately interested in the truth, the record of trial is a public record, and is available via the freedom of information act (with perhaps a paragraph blacked out for security reasons). That’s not happening either. Too, we've got experts speaking out about this case, and a decent amount of online and offline news exposure. Anyone who grabs something online and will not post the source is hiding something. Anyone who posts part of a discussion about converting databases for an IRC network without posting the full URL in which it was ascertained is hiding something. Those folks who do any kind of programming work understand "hacking the src" is jargon for modifying source code to program. It’s extremely easy to take anything out of context and turn it around. Some folks online are very artful at it. When you are in the wrong, the only way to make your point is to twist the truth.

When the question of his view of the ban against IRC usage by the USAFA through telnetting equated with the honor code that all cadets sign, it was made with some trepidation since honor is a very sensitive subject to Goreans.

Let’s tackle that question. The regulation, on hand, at the time, did ban chat from the USAFA network. It also specifically allowed access to outside providers from the af.mil network. At that time, it was commonplace for many folks to have AOL accounts. I note that, if they felt I was breaking the regulation by chatting, they'd have charged under breaking a general regulation, which can be charged under the UCMJ. They didn't. I think they knew it treaded into a gray area, and to be honest, chatting via an outside provider wasn't that unusual in the cadet wing at the time. You've got quite a few young adults far away from home, who don't have a great deal of spending cash communicating with their families. I admit to being not 100% sure at the time whether what I was specifically doing was allowed under the regulation (I knew the connection to the outside provider was, the chat bit got into a gray area), however, one of the mottos of the commandant at the time dealt with "mess up, fess up", that is, if I was caught, per what was usual at the Academy at the time, I'd own up to it, and be punished for it accordingly if it were against the rules (to compare, cadets caught downloading pornography were usually given 30 tours, that is, 30 hours of marching over a weekend or two in one hour increments with a rifle- standard punishment at the institution). When the base systems administrator testified, he stated he wasn't sure if what I was doing was allowed or not. If the officer tasked with administering the network isn't sure, how can the user be? Still, I was open about it with my roommate at the time, and he agreed with me that he thought it was allowed, so I went ahead and did it.

In terms of the honor code, it’s an oath we take, to not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those among us who do. Cadets screw up all the time, whether its serious offenses, like drinking or sex in the dorms, or even less serious like cutting a class, it’s not a violation of the honor code. Granted, the conduct is against the rules, it has nothing to do with lying, cheating, or stealing. It has to do with breaking a rule, and being punished for it. Can you have honor and speed down the highway at 65 in a 55? I'd argue you can. Even if you do so purposely. If you are pulled over, can you lie to the police officer about it and have honor? There lies the distinction. Breaking the honor code is cause for expulsion from the University. If they felt that I had breached this code, they could have lodged an allegation at any time. That, too, did not happen.

He has the ability to appeal the charge. One of the interesting aspects is that he was offered the chance to accept an even lesser sentence (basically, just forfeitures of some pay, with no punitive discharge) which he declined because he would have to file a motion to appeal and it would, possibly be denied. The sentence with which he was found guilty has an automatic appeal ability.

Master Kwahraw’s attorneys have given permission for him to discuss these matters with the stipulation that, of course, classified material may not be disclosed. He has, in fact, most recently done a television interview concerning the incident. It is safe to say that we may hear more about the matter in the future.

Now that the unpleasant task of discussing fully matters that others wish to only partially disclose for their own purposes, we moved onto far more pleasant topics.

He can currently be found working as a project manager/systems administrator for a financial institution and living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with an upcoming move to another state. Single, he doesn’t have any children or slaves at this point in time.

Was his wry sense of humor mentioned yet? People should get to know him within the next twenty years because after that he’ll be: Dead probably, gunned down by feminazi liberals.

Very much an outdoor person, in his leisure time he enjoys things like fishing, a day on the golf course, or something as simple as a ride out to the country to enjoy the scenery. He is involved in his community and does a bit of volunteer work.

Thinking that the conversation would flow in a very casual manner for a bit more, he was asked about what he takes of the Gorean philosophy and lifestyle into his life off-line and how living the philosophy has affected his life. The mood certainly turned serious, which should not have been a surprise, since this one has found over the years of listening to him and watching him on-line that he is mercurial, flowing from seriousness to playfulness and back with ease.

I guess first, this question asks the age old question of "what is the Gorean philosophy", and, in defining it, I guess I can then expound on what is taken into every day life. I view the philosophy as a number of tenets, that, when taken together, come to mean a reverse of today's society. I think the most important tenet is that men need to be men, and women need to be women. That’s an easy enough statement, and there's certainly no risk in it as it is.

Simple enough to understand and certainly few could find exception with his view. With a soft smile, he then delivered the rest of his statement: I'm going to stick my neck out in the interview, and let it be chopped off if it will. It goes beyond that. It even goes beyond the 1950's, where the man went out, made the money, and the woman stayed home and took care of the home/kids. It has to do with the premise that strong men do not bend to the wishes of a woman. It has to do with the premise that we cannot, as Goreans, allow ourselves to be "whipped" as men. It has to do with the premise that if we accept what society is spewing at us in terms of the "90's" way of life whereby men and women are equal, we all lose something. I will not debate the point that woman are capable of doing most of the jobs that men do. I speak in generalities, and certainly, some women are capable of doing any of the jobs that men do. It would be an ignorant statement on my part not to admit it, and not a statement that could be backed up by empirical evidence. That does not mean that they should. Men and women are not the same. Part of being Gorean is celebrating those differences, those things that have traditionally marked men, strength, integrity, and being the one's who went on the hunt and brought home dinner. Part of being Gorean is recognizing those things that have traditionally marked women as well, things like beauty, grace, tending to the home, taking care of the children. It also has to do with the interaction between the two. At least for me, to not exert dominance, to not impose my will, on any woman in my life, is unimaginable. It is all too common that, in terms of workplace, women aren't likely to be gone any time soon, and we, as men, must either come to grips with that fact, and adapt and overcome, or become extinct. While we cannot always control what we deal with in public, we can certainly control what occurs in private. And we can certainly have our opinions, though the need may exist to keep those opinions to ourselves in certain situations. The Gorean philosophy, as an absolute, also dictates that we understand ourselves, question ourselves, and know who we are. I think a core tenet involves being comfortable in our own skin. We speak of honor, and some view it as a necessity to being Gorean, others do not, pointing out examples of the books. I, myself, feel it is necessary to how I live my life. I believe, regardless, that honesty to one's self is crucial to the point. And it is this way that I live my life. I get up every morning, put my pants on, and make the decisions most folks do. But always, there is the realization of what I believe, what I think, and I temper my actions accordingly.

Just how much did his home environment contribute to his beliefs today? He isn’t quite sure that anyone is ever through with ‘growing up’ or developing, but his parents were both very strong willed individuals in a family where his father did not allow his mother to run the show regardless of how she may have fought to do so.

Sure, or at least it laid the foundation for it. Had my mother gone out and burned bra's, or my father been a weak man who let mom run the show... I'd probably be a very different person and have very different philosophies than I have today. Too, I'll note that they were both strong willed people, and there were fights, and things thrown growing up. Dad's finally worn her down, they don't fight like they used to, things have changed (or maybe that’s just because I'm not around to see it). Growing up is an interesting word, though, and I suppose that I am still growing as a person, I've been through a lot that has influenced my thoughts on life, on living it, and as subscribing to a Gorean Philosophy.

Curious as to how his siblings dealt with this kind of childhood, we touched for a bit on both them.

I think its important to note that they hold some Gorean values, though it could also be argued that these are simply very conservative values also. There's a lot of philosophy that is part of Gorean, which Goreans do not have the monopoly on. A prime example is that men are naturally dominant to women. Goreans aren't the only ones who think and feel this way. We just take that belief a bit farther than most people can or are willing to go.

It was interesting that while we were talking about his family’s knowledge of his beliefs that we hit upon that ageless topic which seems to be cropping up with more frequency on many forum boards in a variety of ways - labels. His thoughts on the subject were well formulated and bear thinking about in more depth. Perhaps another person would like to take up the pen and investigate whether Goreans would be more acceptable to others if the label were not so easily associated with works of fiction.

My brother does [know about my lifestyle and beliefs], in depth. I think my parents know that I have and believe in Gorean values, like the natural philosophy, the roles of men and women in our society, or my concept of honor. I have not put a label on it for my parents. I think in doing so, given their nature, would trivialize it, and it’s more important to me to conceptualize for them, and anyone else who inquires about my lifestyle the details of it, and what the beliefs are, than to put a label on it which can be drawn back to a work of fiction. I think that for me to be able to do that, since they know I read and have read the books, they would need to do that as well. Of course, those of us who have read, and understand, have a common basis and understanding of a Gorean lifestyle, and for us, being Gorean means something, the details don't need explained before the label is applied, thus it is an easy thing to communicate to each other how we live by using that label.

Human beings are, for the most part, social creatures, needing the companionship of like persons. Curious as to whether he has ever met any of the vast numbers of people that he has met on-line in his role of austnet mIRC operator, it was surprising that with all the numbers of Goreans around him, he had just returned from traveling to the West Coast.

I have traveled across the country to meet friends who happen to be Gorean. The meeting was simply like meeting an old friend, things were discussed, beer was consumed, and yes, they met up to my expectations.

There is a recent thread on what this one terms ‘paradise lost’ which relates to the phenomena of what is almost a fear of being associated with gamers and how this has effected our (those of us who live as Goreans in our actual lives) dealings and ability to just step out of serious mode for a bit of light-hearted fun. The consensus seemed to be that a good many had a start in roleplaying channels if nothing else, so the question was presented on his beliefs that someone can ‘learn’ to become Gorean. The answer was not surprising.

That’s an interesting question. We all learn; it’s a process of growing up. We learn values early on from our parents. I believe these values can predispose a person to living a Gorean lifestyle. In the end though, it requires introspection, and a desire to learn and educate yourself.

His response concerning on-line Gor was more in-depth along the ‘learn to be Gorean’ lines, though it echoed the words being spoken by great numbers of Goreans about the state of on-line Gor

I think parts of it are a travesty. I think many people go about playing their online games, or think its fun to "kill" or "assassinate" others. The more ignorant take these folks as members of our community, and it reflects badly on all of us. Having been one of those who started my journey by popping into a gamer channel, learning, watching, and growing, I don't think its all necessarily bad. I think eventually the proverbial light bulb goes off for some of them. I think for some, it never will, they cannot do so, it only is a fantasy they can see, but not possess. It saddens me that these groups are attacked by those of us who have moved beyond it. I think they are an important stepping stone for those who may become Gorean, who would do so if they had the opportunity to explore and grow. For better or worse, and I believe worse, it is no longer acceptable by those who live a Gorean Lifestyle to open a virtual paga tavern, or to role play. Lessons can be learned in doing so, and I believe legitimate growth can occur.

This opened up many questions concerning mIRC, which is the environment that Master Kwahraw uses when talking to others. The date that he first stumbled into a mIRC Gorean channel is important in some later revelations.

I think I started playing with mIRC somewhere back in 1995. I didn't know anything about Gorean channels until fall of 1997. I think I stumbled into one, it sparked a curiosity, and I started reading. There was something that I saw then that appealed to me, and after reading, and thinking, and exploring, I found what has turned into a way of life.

[The most difficult problem with mIRC or other online chat mediums is] While it facilitates folks meeting from all parts of this planet, it also allows people the opportunity to misrepresent who they are, and what they are. Its anonymity provides the person trying to take advantage, trying to scam those of out there representing who we really are an opportunity to do so. Looking back, over the years, including my own personal life, this has really come to ring true on a few fronts. I am a much more cautious person online these days, and view almost everything pretty skeptically.

I think the ability to communicate across the world in a matter of a second or two is by far its most powerful [strength]. The ability to connect people across the world, to come together and discuss what pleases them, is any online medium's greatest strength.

It seemed like a good time to ask about his views on unowned slaves on-line and whether the term ‘unowned slaves’ was an oxymoron. While he feels that unowned slaves have a place on on-line Gor, he did raise some interesting thoughts.

I guess the better question is, are they really slaves? And to who? The internet has allowed us to communicate at speeds never before thought of. It allows the ideas and thoughts of a person sitting in his study in Pennsylvania, for instance, to be communicated to those all over this planet. It also allows for meeting people, sometimes people of similar beliefs, and functions as an insight into the person, so long as the person is actually who they claim to be. This isn't always the case, and in the Master-slave relationship, how does a slave become owned, or meet her Master if she doesn't start as unowned? I don't see in the paper classifieds "Gorean slave seeks Master to own her completely, in all ways, and deepen her slavery". Our lifestyle isn't mainstream, and like everything else not mainstream, we have flourished online. That includes online facilitating a Master-slave relationship. Without a slave being online, how else can she seek to fulfill her desire to be a slave? Gorean Men don't grow on trees.

Sometimes [unowned slaves do create a problem on on-line Gor], so do "Masters" out for nothing but some cheap cybersex, or haughty mouthy Freewomen who do not know their place. You get a wide variety in all categories, and legitimate slaves who are just that, certainly don't, the mouthy subby brats... different story.

Being a female and knowing that he currently has no slaves, the next obvious question delved into what he looked for in a slave. We discussed such things as looks, age, education, wealth, ability to provide a second or primary income for the household, location and a host of other characteristics.

I'd have to say that the first characteristic I look for in a slave is that she actually is one, and not someone playing at it to win a husband, wedding ring, someone to help her raise her children, etc. All too often, these ulterior motives ring clearly through that computer monitor, if you know what to look for. Assuming she actually is, or legitimately desires to be, there are other factors as well. I am in my mid twenties, the fact of the matter is, for me, I wouldn't date a woman who was twice my age, and I wouldn't take a slave who was in that category either. Too often though, we see girls online who are barely 18, and that doesn't cut it either. It’s not the age itself, but rather the maturity and judgment that come with life's experiences. I personally feel I have a fair bit of this experience, and have lived and seen, and done more than men twice my age. The same goes with a slave. You can't know what you are surrendering until you've lived life, made choices, and exercised that which you are surrendering. Location is also a biggie. It’s a biggie in the sense that a slave surrendering to a Gorean Man, if you think about it, is the last free choice she makes in a Gorean relationship. That also makes it a serious one. In my opinion, it should be one of those decisions that is not done lightly, and not done without extensive research both online and offline. The offline part of it becomes arduous if the slave is not within reasonable proximity, though certainly air travel lessens this burden. In terms of wealth or ability to provide a second income, that has no bearing on it, however you mention education. That I think does. No Gorean man wants a stupid or ignorant woman. One of the joys in owning a woman, I think, involves owning her thoughts, and her being forced to share them when it pleases the man to hear them.

His undesirable trait list is very succinct. When they aren't slaves at all. I think slaves who make assumptions, or who decide to exhibit characteristics indicative of something other than a slave, say perhaps your average woman these days, is definitely on that undesirable list.

I've spent time with a Gorean friend and his Free Companion. My answer then, to this question [whether Free Women have a place in the Gorean lifestyle, on-line and off-line] in the offline venue, is certainly yes. I think it’s important to note that there are distinctions to be drawn from a FW who is in fact one, compared to the plethora of pseudo-dominant women online who are basically your every day, run of the mill women of our society in Free Women's clothing. The Gorean FW knows her place, and keeps it.

Much has been debated about the appropriateness of a Free Woman owning male slaves. From a cultural point of view, free women, being free, can own whatever they want; however, we do not live on the fictional planet Gor and therefore some cultural differences between behaviors and mores exhibited in the books and what is appropriate in our world will occur.

My two cents on this is as follows: The books certainly contain references to this activity, and indeed, one could argue it happens on the fictional planet of Gor. However, I believe it to be against the Gorean philosophy. The entire point of the Gorean philosophy is for men to be strong (well, men), and women to be submissive (well, women). Certainly this doesn't hold true in all cases. There are exceptions to every rule. But, in my opinion, a FW owning a male slave (and I am talking offline only, as I believe an online relationship, for anything other than a vehicle to start communication, and to facilitate meeting others, is a farce) turns it into something other than a Gorean relationship. Perhaps it just becomes standard fare in today's society.

Changing gears quickly, he added to his comments on distinctions between on-line and off-line: Back to this online versus offline distinction... when you become someone or something online that differs from what you are offline, you are "gaming". This isn't the same as playing a role (e.g. the whole online paga tavern thing), so long as when you play a role, you are and say what you actually would in such a situation, not what the (somewhat) anonymous nature of the internet allows you to in a role playing fantasy, because you are actually a pussy-whipped husband too afraid to actually be that way in real life.

One of this one’s favorite theories is that Goreans who are such in their off-line lives are higher educated than the average person. Master Kwahraw certainly fits the profile with a Bachelor’s Degree to his credit. He is currently working toward a Juris Doctorate degree. Perhaps his interest in the law was enhanced by his dealings with the judicial system.

Of course [I think that most Goreans are higher educated], the reason, I think, is simple. You have to read the books, then you have to extrapolate philosophy from them. On the surface, this seems an easy task, but I can think of many College courses where that’s the entire point, "What is the Author trying to say", "What’s the meaning of this sentence"; granted, Norman is more direct than the authors you read in a college English class, but the thought process needs to be there. I'll also note that education doesn't equate to intelligence. I can think of a Ph.D. (who is a college professor) who simply is ignorant, and doesn't get it. I don't think the slip of paper means anything more than the slip of paper, but intelligence is required to "get it". Of course, I suppose there's plenty of Cliff's notes versions of what is and isn't Gorean, and folks out there who regurgitate what others take from the books as a handbook on how to be Gorean, but there's bound to be things that they miss in not exploring and reading, and extracting the philosophy from the books themselves.

Knowing that he had just recently come from a visit with Master Pantheus and Mistress Opal, it was time to venture into the realm of meeting other Goreans in real life. There has been much debate in the various forums about the safety of meeting on-line people, not only from a slave’s viewpoint, but also the safety of the men involved. Claims abound by disgruntled people about being coerced or pressured into behavior in which they do not believe, as well as the physical dangers. Issues to consider include whether there should be rules in place to govern such meetings between Goreans (such as those that might safeguard the group from possible prosecution by disgruntled persons) and whether the setting of such rules mean that the group functioned less naturally. Unowned slaves at such meetings are another possible area of concern: if they attend, are they subject to the same servitude, discipline and usage as those slaves owned by Gorean men that the group knows and trusts; would the presence of unowned girls tend to change the behavior of the group, would they behave less naturally as a result of self-protection against any future claims the girl may make or would they look upon her and test the depths of her slavery.

I view it as follows: In terms of all the hype about offline meetings, and the pressure to do so, I see both sides. I think the hype can lead to dangerous situations, and people forced into doing something they don't want to do. Along the same lines, if you have a friendship that has developed online, it seems reasonable to me to extend that beyond an online only medium. With the idea out there that people are not what they claim and appear to be, offline meetings and gatherings have become a crucial part of the online medium to "weed-out" the pretenders. I think inevitably a very good pretender can only be "found-out" in that fashion. I also think it appropriate for men of different Home Stones to meet as they see fit, or if they see fit. In the end, we all share a common philosophy and set of values that is rare today. Getting together with like-minded individuals is always a good idea. As to this idea of unowned slaves being invited to attend, there are risks to that not present in a gathering of Gorean men. I guess if the group chooses to take the risk, then it is up to them. That risk, I'll mention, is mitigated so long as they are careful who they invite, and do not extend any open invitations. I'd be disappointed in the group if the presence of an unowned girl changed the behavior of the group.

Although he believes he has responsibilities to the Gorean community, Master Kwahraw does not see himself as a leader of either the Gorean community or his community. He does, however, give back to his community through his volunteer activities. His reason for not seeing himself as a leader, even with his involvement, is quite simple.

A leader is a relative term. In terms of the Gorean community, certainly not. I don't lead anyone but myself. In terms of offline, again, leadership requires followers, and, I do not think I can think of any particular.

I think first and foremost, we have a duty to educate. Especially those who would get it, if led a bit. There are those who do not want to learn, who want to attack. These folks can be brushed off and ignored. I note the term failed slave tossed around a lot. I wonder, in these cases, whether enough education has taken place in terms of the slave to warrant the remark. I also think we have a duty to the community, and ourselves, to explore the philosophy, and approach it as a lifelong learning process, because it is. It also is something we should do collectively. This applies online and off.

Many Goreans are also students of history, very well versed in historical facts as well as in the way in which past events shape modern society. Each of us view some events as more important than others.

There's a lot, and I suppose it depends what aspect of modern society we look at. From a family perspective, and a work place perspective, that changed with the second world war, historically, and before that, it was the man's role in society to work, to generate income, and provide for the family, while it was the woman's role to stay home, take care of the housework, and the children. With most of the male population going off to war, someone had to fill in. Given the population, the only choice was to bring in women. This of course was made worse by the movements of the 60s, the destruction of family values, and, as has been said before, too many bra's being burnt. It became acceptable, and the norm, for both the husband and the wife to work. In a purely economic sense, this doubled the workforce. So, supply of workers went up, and demand for jobs to fill remained constant. It marked a huge gain for corporate America, and began what I believe has become the downfall of the American family. If you look at wages versus lifestyle, it almost requires both husband and wife to work now to maintain the same standard of living that was possible before the "revolution". Obviously, once we have slipped into the vicious cycle, it will be increasingly difficult to get out.

We all make mistakes in life and, hopefully, we learn more about ourselves and others through those mistakes. Master Kwahraw’s greatest life lesson to-date, understandably, involves the Air Force.

This, by far, gets into the Air Force Business, and I'm not sure the best way to approach it. There was a number of lessons to be learned, from the perspective of dealings other people, from the perspective of trusting other people (and not trusting via an online venue), and the extreme pitfalls from doing so online, from the perspective of standing up for what I believe in, despite the cost (the opportunity was presented to resign... I chose to fight), or from the perspective of knowing what kind of person I am, in facing adversity. There isn't a lot of people out there that can say they were court-martialed for something they did not do, for something their lawyer's proved they didn't do in open court. I have that luxury, but also the label from society until it is overturned. I can go into details, but I believe letting the facts and truth out there speak for itself. I do not want to come off as another person convicted "who was not guilty", everyone convicted says that. I have the luxury, and feel it should be used, of proof out there, of truth out there, to back up that assertion, which goes beyond being work, and school.

The court-martial also plays heavily in the ‘price he pays for being Gorean’ also. It is really no wonder that he finds those who judge without the facts or who make partial statements leading people to inaccurate conclusions do not rate highly.

Of course I have. I've been trashed, private events made public, attacked by those who would ridicule what we believe and how we live.

Throughout all the lessons learned, being Gorean is still not difficult to Master Kwahraw. Another man may have been inclined to take the lesser of the sentences or may have resigned while the matter was being investigated (throughout the entire procedure from the fall of 1997 until mid-March 1998 he remained in school, trying to complete assignments without a computer which was still in OSI possession for analysis, in a system where many professors used email to give out assignments, etc.).

Not in and of itself, I think its something that is easy and comes naturally. The difficulty is in holding those values and being a member of our society. Clearly there's a disconnect there, where popular thinking and what is politically correct today fundamentally goes against many of the values and much of the philosophy of living a Gorean lifestyle. In terms of occasionally giving in to society to effectively function as a member of society, and to what degree we are willing to do, becomes an enormous task (and one I believe is a personal choice). In relating some personal choices along those lines, is it better to bite one's tongue in the work place when a female co-worker is around, and out of line (in our opinion) in her behavior, or is it better to incite a HR incident, and potentially lose your job? These kind of choices, and making them on a daily basis, are what is difficult, not holding the values and philosophy itself.

Wanting to end upon a light note, we discussed the Gor books. His favorite is Raiders, though there are parts that he does not like. With a soft chuckle, it must be reported that his least favorites are any of the Jason books.

The adventurer in him would like to travel overseas, probably to Europe, and definitely to parts of Asia. An invitation is extended to him by this one’s Master to visit England for a warm welcome whenever he chooses.

As a final note, Colonel Gregory B. White, defense expert witness and a computer security expert, is now the Chief of Department of Defense web security at the Pentagon and has an interview on-line for those who want some additional insight. It is approximately an hour long and was fascinating from a legal standpoint. The site appears to be very popular and sometimes it takes several attempts to access it. Video

Until next month, wishing you all well,

sierra`, property of Jon