Agreed. As much as I appreciate the ideals behind Open Wireless Movement,
there are still many legal issues to be taken into account. Of course, if he
can make sure he has no problem with being a part of it, he is welcome to do
so. BUT, right now, I don't think things are in such a good legal status as
to do so blindly.
Also, a_slacker_here, maybe you could consider helping your community other
way... by providing a Tor relay. You can read about the Tor project in
www.torproject.org and think about it, if you want to help others with your
internet connection.
As for the security of the router, I hope you read my comment above.