Last week we saw dramatic new evidence of illegal government surveillance of our telephone calls, and of the National Security Agency’s deep penetration into American companies such as Facebook and Microsoft to spy on us. The media seemed shocked.
Many of us are not so surprised.
Some of us were arguing back in 2001 with the introduction of the so-called PATRIOT Act that it would pave the way for massive U.S. government surveillance — not targeting terrorists but rather aimed against American citizens. We were told we must accept this temporary measure to provide government the tools to catch those responsible for 9/11. That was nearly 12 years and at least four wars ago.
We should know by now that when it comes to government power-grabs, we never go back to the status quo even when the “crisis” has passed. That part of our freedom and civil liberties once lost is never regained. How many times did the PATRIOT Act need to be renewed? How many times did FISA authority need to be expanded? Why did we have to pass a law to grant immunity to companies who hand over our personal information to the government?
It was all a buildup of the government’s capacity to monitor us.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
3 comments:
Thank goodness America has finally arisen from it's coma.
Phone and Internet activity should be watched for the sake of keeping America safe from terrorists. The problem is that now we have a prez who doesn't care about a free republic and is abusing the system. He has proven himself time and again to be untrustworthy. His word cannot be trusted. This is why so many opposed the operation under GWB. Not because Bush couldn't be trusted but because they knew someone like Obama could be elected president. How much more do Americans need to see and hear before they move to impeach this guy?!
They falsely believe if they THINK they are doing nothing wrong, or THINK they have nothing to hide, they don't have anything to worry about.
They have no idea just how wrong they are. The government has enough laws on the books now to make ANYONE a criminal, is they so choose.
Whether you have nothing to hide or are doing nothing wrong is in no way a guarantee that you could not be arrested, held without charge, no access to legal counsel, INDEFINITELY.
It is not a question of IF it would happen to them, but WHEN. No one is better than anyone else. The government can reduce anyone to the most base, worthless human being they want, anytime they want, wherever they want.
You cannot be protected when those protections are taken away every single day.
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