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Return to Article: ACLU to pressure Congress over warrantless spying

• 19492
  

  Unlike some civilians, I wouldn't think of telling my CG how to deploy his troops, just as I could not presume to critique our law enforcement officers safeguarding our country. My hat is always off for our men (and women) in the blue and green. Education may teach you theory, but only experience can teach you how to survive and operate on the streets of America or Iraq.

  My training and experience is in computers, business systems, and security. We teach the creation, use and manipulation, and access control of databases; worldwide information dissemination via the Internet, wired and wireless technology; and the fact that if a signal is in the air or a wire is out of site that the enemy is listening. Meanwhile, across the street my coworkers are teaching folks precisely how to intercept that information and to watch people from 500 miles up. To see such an example go to www.terraserver.com, enter your address, and look at your house.

  Yes, perhaps I'm a tad paranoid, but even I admit that only the Chinese could truly monitor us, having enough people to go one-on-one. My concern is not for the immediate future or the intent of our fine officers, military or law enforcement. And I'll even admit that data mining can be a valuable tool for our protectors, not just big business.

  But I've read Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Beneath the Sea," watched "Star Trek," and know the evolutionary rate of our technology. What was once thought fantasy now exists. I've researched the technology of and read the reasons for the proposed deployment of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip technology; and know that business does want to put those chips in my shorts.

  But realistically, my true concern is for the constitution, the law, pending legislation, and legal precedent. I still do not know what is more important, security or freedom; but smarter people than I have said, "Without freedom, we have no security." Has our government ever abused surveillance? Remember Watergate? McCarthy and the Black List? The Japanese-American internments of WWII?

  My paranoid sounding cries of "beware" are meant only to make people aware, think, and discuss. Thank you, evidently they are working.

  Tip off (and still out there)

  GovExec.com reader Posted November 3, 2006 9:20 AM
• 19478
  

  I've tried to set everyone straight on what is really going on, but I see I've made no impression on the paranoid conspiracy types out there who accept everything that the ACLU says as gospel. Obviously, nothing I say will convince you otherwise, so I'll just wish you a pleasant day, and say good bye. Before I go, think about this -- do you personally know anyone whose rights have been violated by the passage of the Patriot Act, or the interception of phone conversations between people in the United States and suspected terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.?

  I didn't think so.

  GovExec.com reader Posted November 2, 2006 3:54 PM
• 19475
  

  Dearest Tip Off Wannabe, Yeah, that's the ticket, trot out the usual suspects from Hollywood and accuse anyone in your way of being some kind of nut. If you security types had your way, we'd all be branded, would turn our checks over to you and only be allowed to speak if spoken to! Re-education camps would dot the countryside and we'd all need "papers" to travel from town to town! See, ain't this neat? But I'm only kidding. Oh, by-the-way, you forgot the obligatory fear-mongering to help support your position. Isn't that working anymore?

  Cracked & Wired Posted November 2, 2006 10:28 AM
• 19442
  

  Gee, Tip, you made a good point. Why listen to someone with actual federal law enforcement experience, when you can rely on what is portrayed in a fictional Hollywood movie as the truth? I'm sure that Oliver Stone, Michael Moore, Sean Penn, Alec Baldwin, and Barbra Streisand are much more reliable sources of information than those of us who work in this field, and are trying to set you straight. By the way, be careful what you are saying - I hear that the government plans to install listening devices in your underwear next. But don't worry, just keep wearing that aluminum foil all over your body, and you'll be just fine!

  "Tip off" (literally!)

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 31, 2006 3:43 PM
• 19438
  

  300 million plus? Chicken feed. It truly is amazing, the power of the electronic age. I haven't read anything on it recently but anyone remember the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) making the news the past couple of years for their Total Information Awareness (TIA) project and the black-budget spin offs? (Please see "Related Stories" on this article's page).

  Folks, the only thing stopping Uncle Sugar from snooping in on every single thing we say is the infrastructure. The software and hardware is there, folks, it's just the regurgitation methodology that is still a little weak.

  Watch "Enemy of the State" for a reality check. That movie is more realistic than you really want to believe. The government has been able to access everything electronic worldwide for decades. The only problem is making any sense out of what they glean due to the sheer volume. Still, as the song goes, "It's just a matter of time."

  Okay, so you don't have anything to hide. But you're telling your sister-in-law how her significant other "blew up," went "nuclear" over something trivial on y'all's trip to "D.C." last week. Guess what? Just like the IRS, you've raised a flag. Let's hope the CIC (Commander in Chief) isn't visiting your town on a campaign run next week, or you just might be a "person of interest."

  Tip off.

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 31, 2006 12:40 PM
• 19369
  

  The population of the United States -- 300 million plus;

  The total number of federal agents -- less than the New York City police department, and spread out among literally hundreds of agencies doing all types of law enforcement work;

  Odds that anyone will tap the average American's phone - laughable, unless you are calling, or being called from, certain places including Iraq, Iran, Syria and Afghanistan.

  That is the reality, so stop being so paranoid, and get on with your lives!

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 26, 2006 3:45 PM
• 19337
  

  Fed-Up,

  If you want to continue to trust this administration that they're doing it all "to keep us safe" and that they'll only use this power to spy on the bad guys, that's your choice. (They don't have time to get warrants? Even though they can get them retroactively? That argument doesn't even pass the common sense test.) But, remember, they've already spied on peace organizations; what threat are they? They are just exercising their freedom of speech. Oh, that's right, when you do that you're unpatriotic, according to "The Decider." Now he's claiming that he hasn't actually meant stay the course? How do these people have any credibility left? When they say ignorance is bliss, I guess they know what they're talking about. How can some people be so gullible?

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 25, 2006 1:19 PM
• 19278
  

  Dear Fed-Up,

  I used to think like you apparently do, "If it's the ACLU it must be bad." After a little evolution, my attitude is "I'll take the part I don't care so much for" along with their action to protect the only real protection we Americans have - the Constitution!

  Speaking of protection, I encourage everyone to try out a little test. Ask your local police department if they guarantee to protect you. Their answer will likely be along the lines of, "We'll try, and we will try our very best, we will even give our very lives trying to protect you but we can not guarantee your safety."

  Legislation cannot guarantee anyone's safety ... it can only guarantee to strip us of freedom. Vote for candidates you like, but please don't vote for them because they claim they will make you safe by taking away your rights.

  Cracked & Wired Posted October 20, 2006 1:48 PM
• 19229
  

  Glad to see that the ACLU is once again hard at work defending the rights of America's enemies. While seemingly championing the cause of freedom, all the ACLU is really accomplishing is making it easier for the terrorists to operate, while making it harder for law enforcement to fight them. The government has neither the time nor the resources to seek wiretaps on average citizens, who have nothing to fear from this legislation, despite the propaganda from the ACLU, assorted leftist fringe groups, and otherwise well-meaning but ignorant Americans. Meanwhile, our enemies are laughing at us while this country is being divided, instead of being united against those seeking to destroy us.

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 18, 2006 2:50 PM
• 19217
  

  While I'm not a blanket sponsor of the ACLU, I was glad to read this.

  I must admit to still waffling over the issue of having security or freedom. After a short hitch in the service, I'm leaning more toward freedom. The service teaches you that you have short and long term goals. The short term goals are the means to the end (the long term goals). You make the best plans you can, try them out, and then adjust and fire for effect; but the goal remains the same.

  Security, while very much desired, is such a short term goal. It's like the battle of nature. Predators stalk and capture; prey respond through camouflage, poison secretions, and/or speed in escape. It's action versus reaction. Each side gains ground temporarily but, in the long run, they reach a tenuous equilibrium. Please note that the same applies to cops and robbers, good guys and bad guys.

  Our freedoms, on the other hand, come from the very roots of civilization and reach for a future of peace, tolerance, and advancement. They have been forged and fought for. They've been molded and fine tuned. And they include the world, without coercion. They are not yet perfected, but we are still in a worldly domain. We can only try to do the best we can, but we cannot go backwards.

  Somewhere we have to draw the line on just how much we will allow those terrorists to affect what makes us unique, our freedoms. That doesn't mean we should cower like sheep while we staunchly shout our freedoms. It means continuously working to search and destroy those who attack us. It means having to do things the hard way; and do them over and over, time and again.

  This administration seems to think there's a quick fix. They think if they become "Big Brother", they will be able to control our enemies. I can't blame them for trying but they are wrong and in the process of trying they just might kill our hope, our shining light. So, in the mean time, someone has to "guard the guards."

  Tip off.

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 18, 2006 8:14 AM