Bitcoin, in deal with French financial firms, gets officially recognized under EU law as a "ban

Recognition by the banking industry means that the banks are starting in their attempt to absorb bitcoin into their realms. This means that it might become illegal in the future to own bitcoins without some kind of banking authorization.

Look at what has happened with marijuana. There is such a gigantic war against marijuana that, even though the war is not making a dent in reducing marijuana use, anyone that uses it becomes a potential target for midnight raids and property confiscation. And it even overflows against many who do NOT use marijuana.

Just think what would happen if 10% or more of the population starting using bitcoin, and suddenly all the governments of the world made it illegal. This could mean that the war on drugs would spread to bitcoin. Since it is difficult to tell who uses bitcoin and who doesn't because of the encryption involved, everyone in the world could become a target of law enforcement any time, anywhere, for any reason, with bitcoin used as the excuse.

If we're going to have freedom in the world, we're going to have to outlaw govenments from messing in the affairs of people, except when it can be proven that a person has DIRECTLY harmed someone else or damaged the other person's property. That's it. That's all there needs to be for freedom. PERIOD.