The Edward Snowden Thread
06-12-2013, 09:21 PM
Some have asked (in other places) about the American people expressing their outrage at this. They think this is the moment where we stand up to Skynet and its masters and put them in their place.
I laugh. There will be no outcry. There are a number of reasons why:
1. We have seen a barrage of scandals, and the public can't seem to focus on anything for more than a minute. We have seen Fast and Furious, Benghazi, tapping the press (AP), tapping the news, harassing conservatives and now this. The Administration learned from past experience that you can overwhelm an opponent with a barrage of information (see the Republican Party since 2010).
2. We have forgotten basic rights and the Constitution. What do you expect when politically correct Progressives and Statists run pre-kindergarden, the schools, colleges, arts, media (news, entertainment, Hollywood), trade unions, local, state and federal government machines? We do not teach the Constitution or basic rights anymore. People have a vague notion of what those things are. We have forgotten that the people control the machine; not the machine controlling the people. We expect to be taken care of from cradle to the grave (Obamacare, Obamaphones, student loans, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, unemployment, Social Security, food stamps, Medicare, Medicade, tax credits and God knows what else). We fear some random act of terrorism rather than standing on our own two feet, shaking our fist at the world and going our own way.
3. The American public is content to freely give this information away by the minute. In addition to basic data (full names, birthdays, home city, etc.), we post pictures, thoughts, beliefs, friends, family, eating habits, likes, dislikes, occupations, work history, workout history, certifications, philosophies, locations, allegences and purchases by the second. This kind of information is low hanging fruit on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and all kinds of related applications. WE GIVE IT AWAY. We let any schmoe in and view it, and we are disappointed when no one "likes" it or comments on it in a millisecond.
Companies are thrilled to grab information and market to you. The government is happy to build a profile and create an enemies list. Don't forget, this is the same bunch that had files of enemies on Hillary's desk back in the Clinton era. We have seen one man destroyed because he apparently did not toe the line (General Patreaus). What makes you think you are a snowflake?
Houston is right: go with a fake name and try to minimize your exposure. IP addresses are a problem, and they can track you. There must be a way around that (Tor?).
Damn....Putin (former KGB Director) sounds more reasonable than Obama (Constitutional attorney and professor). What kind of a fucked up world do we live in?
It is disgusting and an over-reach of power. And....Fuck you, NSA.