NSA Surveillance
#71
What I Have Done Is Costly, But It Was the Right Thing To Do | Common Dreams
I like what Snowden recently said:
"The immoral cannot be made moral through the use of secret law.
I believe in the principle declared at Nuremberg in 1945: "Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring."
I like what Snowden recently said:
"The immoral cannot be made moral through the use of secret law.
I believe in the principle declared at Nuremberg in 1945: "Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring."
#72
Here's the problem: *abuse* and *the gov't hates dissent*
There are so many BS laws that the average person breaks multiple laws without knowing or thinking about it. Laws that shouldn't be there.
When the gov't knows everything you do, you can be easily charged and bankrupted by the resulting expense defending yourself. The charges could come from some bureaucrat with a wild hair up his butt, a rival politician or a rival businessman.
Your phone conversations and GPS records or emails can show that you regularly do 85 mph, or remove your catalytic converter, or pay a handyman cash circumventing state taxes, or installed an illegal turbo kit.
Here's an example of abuse:
Former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer was charged with the almost-never-enforced law of "transporting a prostitute across state lines". He was surveilled by a new Patriot Act provision that banks have to report "suspicious activity" involving withdrawing $3,000 cash per month. He was probably a victim of a political vendetta.
And here's a video about numerous regulatory laws, and folks being bankrupted:
There are so many BS laws that the average person breaks multiple laws without knowing or thinking about it. Laws that shouldn't be there.
When the gov't knows everything you do, you can be easily charged and bankrupted by the resulting expense defending yourself. The charges could come from some bureaucrat with a wild hair up his butt, a rival politician or a rival businessman.
Your phone conversations and GPS records or emails can show that you regularly do 85 mph, or remove your catalytic converter, or pay a handyman cash circumventing state taxes, or installed an illegal turbo kit.
Here's an example of abuse:
Former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer was charged with the almost-never-enforced law of "transporting a prostitute across state lines". He was surveilled by a new Patriot Act provision that banks have to report "suspicious activity" involving withdrawing $3,000 cash per month. He was probably a victim of a political vendetta.
And here's a video about numerous regulatory laws, and folks being bankrupted:
#73
Gov't hates dissent. That includes speaking out against Obamacare or speaking out against the city council.
This guy had >1,000 Twitter followers, and regularly tweeted about Obama's policies. He got a nasty from the Secret Service:
Secret Service Visits Outspoken Obama Critic – Because of Tweets | The Gateway Pundit
This lady made films about the wars and surveillance, and repeatedly got harassed by the DHS every time she re-entered the country:
U.S. filmmaker repeatedly detained at border - Salon.com
This guy had >1,000 Twitter followers, and regularly tweeted about Obama's policies. He got a nasty from the Secret Service:
Secret Service Visits Outspoken Obama Critic – Because of Tweets | The Gateway Pundit
This lady made films about the wars and surveillance, and repeatedly got harassed by the DHS every time she re-entered the country:
U.S. filmmaker repeatedly detained at border - Salon.com
#74
How might the gov't squash dissent using the NSA?
No need to arrest every person who speaks out, Stasi style. All you need to do is harass the "Connectors" as per Malcolm Gladwell, those few individuals who have a lot of "followers":
The Tipping Point - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The prototypical "Connector" is Paul Revere. It is very easy for software to find "connectors" in the NSA's metadata:
Using Metadata to find Paul Revere - Kieran Healy
No need to arrest every person who speaks out, Stasi style. All you need to do is harass the "Connectors" as per Malcolm Gladwell, those few individuals who have a lot of "followers":
The Tipping Point - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The prototypical "Connector" is Paul Revere. It is very easy for software to find "connectors" in the NSA's metadata:
Using Metadata to find Paul Revere - Kieran Healy
#75
The Stasi at its peak had a few acres of filing cabinets. The NSA has the equivalent of *half the continent of Africa*
Stasi versus NSA
Stasi versus NSA