I know the NASA is watching me. That's why they keep putting those astronauts up there, so somebody would watch over me...
We're facing a different kind of demon these days. Some one some day is going to walk across a busy street carrying a backpack with a dirty bomb, pull the pin and a lot of Americans are going to get hurt. On the one hand, I don't mind all this 'listening in', expecially if it gives results. But the govt has proven itself to be so untrustworthy so many times in the past, that the public's lack of support for this endeavour should come as no surprise. We can all be critical of the govt efforts, but - does anyone else have any other suggestions on the how/what/when/where in the matter of protecting us from further terrorist attacks ????
I agree with you.. the govt needs to do its spying. However, it should all be done legally, like using warrants from the FISA courts etc. Giving absolute power to anyone is a recipe for disaster and most of the populace seems to be oblivious of that fact as slowly but surely this admin moves towards that nefarious goal.
What would Joseph Goebbels say if here were alive and heard about this effort by Bush and the NSA? "Heckava job, Georgie..."
Privacy is a modern thing actually, and still largely an illusion. People in tribes in a jungle might go their entire lives with very litlle privacy, in Japan you can talk in a certain way and what is overheard from you will be treated as private, in the middle ages people in Europe went their entire lives without much privacy at all. They did not take a dump in private if they lived in a castle, they sat on the wall and took a krap, I have to imagine that anybody looking in their direction could read their face and tell if they had enough magnesium and fiber in their diet. Personally, if somebody listened to my phone calls they would get bored. bill O'Reilly pointed out today that if somebody has your phone calls they can cut/splice them and make you say about anything. If somebody is technically astute they can do that with just a few seconds of your voice with some spectral analysis however and spectral equipment is available for a PC that would do the job. I guess the secret is to shut the heck up. I notice that the people that shut the heck up all the time have the money and the guys running their mouths all the time are borrowing from them, maybe there is more to this than meets the ... Screw it, it's a war on terror, you have to let the government run with it and besides, if they put away as many people as some here seem to think they want to, incarceration will be the normal way of life and the guys on the outside will be the outcasts so relax, kick back, go with the flow, it's just a big paid vacaton, wink wink, nod, nod. Incarceration with WiFi would be my preferred incarceration, there has to be a freedom of speech issue there somewhere, maybe the ACLU will step in and get us WiFi in our brave new world. Lord knows they have done so much in the area of privacy, that is why I had to reveal everything about my life to the IRS last month, because our privacy is so well regarded by the public sector in the US.
Guys, the problem is that it is jut a beginning. I personally do not care if someone listens to my phone calls, I have nothing to hide, but how far does it go. Today, warrant less monitoring, tomorrow warrant less arrest, decade later GULAG for American citizens, and all in the name of protecting us. It all starts with small things, and if not stopped, it will spin out of control. I recently saw a movie, âGood Night and Good Luckâ. Can you imagine what would happen to America if McCarthy would not have been stopped. Criticism would be labeled as communist propaganda, and would be sufficient to put anybody behind bars. If Congress and Senate do not do anything about it now, we are all screwed. redduke
I agree 100% ... and also with maxpi and tradermaji above. Under the current cirmstances, I have no problem with anyone listening in on any of my calls at all. But ... who is there to protect from future govt abuses - more govt ????? tradermaji is right about the need to obtain warrents prior to any taps - but I think that under current conditions, judges may need to lighten up a little on the rules justifying such taps. It's not the ideal answer, but we're not living in an ideal world. But c'mon ... any other pro-active ideas ????
I usually hate when one answers with a question, but I will let you reach your own conclusion by answering this: How come Scandinavian countries are not scared of terrorist attacks?
Probably because they stay neutral, ie - they keep their nose out or other people's biz. But then again, they don't have the ethnic mix that makes up the USA - a portion of which will always look to keep us involved in the politics of the land of their origin. That's the USA, man. But if one of the citizens of a Scandinavian country authors a book that a muslim or two finds offensive, I'm thinking that Scandinavians might get a little 'antsy'. But yours - like everyone else's - is a good question, indeed. We all work on and come up with good questions ... but once again ... any ideas on pro-active measures that would work to deter/prevent future terrorist activities here ???