And just when we thought the administration’s “big brother” mentality couldn’t get any worse…
According to the L.A. Times, the Justice Department and the FBI have asked Internet providers and phone companies to keep records of users online activities for two years. Most of these companies, who usually only keep this information for a few days, are gearing up for a legal battle over the issue. According to the article, the Justice Department has made assurances that “it was not seeking to have e-mail content archived, just information about the websites people visit and those with whom they correspond.”
"This is not simply limited to kiddie porn or terrorism. It's a real break with precedent," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center. "Data retention is open-ended. The government is saying, 'Keep everything about everyone and we'll sort it out later.' " Here’s a link to the article:
Online Privacy Again at Issue
Hey Bush, Mueller & Gonzales....
"Bring it on." I WANT you to know what I've been saying. I WANT you to know what websites I've been visiting. I WANT you to know what I think of you and your ilk. And then, I WANT you to use that info. against me and a few hundred thousand of my closest friends.
Because when that finally happens, when you clowns take this charade to the next logical step, the sleeping giant known as "We The People" will finally wake up and see you for what you really are. God help you and your regime when that happens.
Some would say, "By that time, it will be too late." I say it's never too late to rid the world of fascist tyrants.
The advantage we have over the German people in the 30's? We are much more heavily armed, we are much more technologically savvy, and we have a culture and a history that does not long tolerate tyranny.
"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it." - Abraham Lincoln
posted by Marlipern @ 1:43 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Bro-
The German people were very heavily armed as a people following the armistice. Their country was stripped of naval vessels, banned from forming an air force, and limited in the amount of active ground forces, (Standing Army), they were allowed to keep on hand. As we all know they found ways around this. (Read “Forgotten Solider”) But there was not a ban on personal weapons stated in the treaty of Versailles that I am aware of. The German people were and continue to be, very technically, tactically, and organizationally savvy as a nation. Again, the fact over emotion thing has come back to strike you my Brother. I love my freedom and don’t want anyone delving into my personal business. But, we should remember that every company in the Army and Marine Corps, and every ship division in the Navy had a censorship officer that read EVERY letter sent home from over-seas and post or base here in America during the war. (The Air force was not established until 1947) The censors were free to black out any information that could potentially help the enemy. This is a fact. We should also remember that every newspaper willingly submitted to censorship in the spirit of “winning the war”. This is a fact. We won these wars, and celebrate them. The end of this type of self monitoring for the greater good came to a head during the Viet Nam war. Opinions started to replace fact. Raw emotion without the benefit of thoughtful reflection and appreciation of circumstance became the norm due to technological changes. (TV, personal audio recorders, lack of censorship from the battle field) We lost this war with tragic consequences for the Vietnamese people. (Yes, I have been there following the war and can attest to this). A significant number of Americans did not want to get involved in WWI or WWII but once our country was at war, the vast majority of Americans wholeheartedly supported the effort. This included monitoring of daily, personal communications for a limited time for a real purpose. Technologies have changed, principles have not. Is our society no longer more important than the individual?
To quote one of the more famous philosophers of or time Jim Carry in the American documentary; Liar Liar: “Then stop breaking the law as$#*le!”
However, we should really remember that 2 million German civilians were killed along with: 70,000 Italians, 350,000 Japanese, 400,000 Romanians, 50,000 Bulgarians, 200,000 Hungarians, and 4,000 Finish civilians. (Quote by: Professor Joseph V. O’Brien Ph. D., Department of History, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Link Below). This again is a fact, not one that any sane individual would revel in, but every sane individual who understands how war is fought and won, understands. We as Americans understood this to a limited degree but maintained our focus. Approximately 2400 people, the vast majority whom were military personnel were killed on the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. We don’t remember this. Approximately 3000 people the vast majority, whom were civilian personnel, were killed on the attack on September 11, 2001. Do you remember this? We need to get together here as Americans. We are at war. We may or not agree on the reasons for starting this war but, right or wrong, WE must win this war or our children are doomed. This is a fact. All for now.
Derrick
http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/jobrien/reference/ob62.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11,_2001_attacks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11,_2001_attacks
CORRECTION: Link for Pearl Harbor and time of post.
Derrick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_harbor
Derrick,
As always, you provide some very useful and compelling information.
A couple of clarifications on my post. My assertion about being a "more heavily armed" populace refers to the weaponry available today to American citizens, not necessariy total number of weapons (although that is likely much higher than what was in private hands in Germany in the 30's). Also, the technology available today in this country, and it's widespread use, far surpasses anything seen in Europe during that period.
You CANNOT compare Iraq to WWII. Iraq was a war of choice. A preemptive war. Think about that term for a minute. A preemptive war! I'm sorry Derrick, this is not, nor has it ever been, what our great nation is all about. War must always be a last resort. Don't tell me that you truly believe that we exercised all other options prior to invading Iraq. I know you are more intelligent than that.
Our founding fathers were very wary of "foreign entanglements", and rightly so. Especially Washington, who warned the country about the possible dangers of getting involved in such escapades in his farewell address. Likewise, Eisenhower admonished us to beware of the dangers of the "military-industrial complex."
I specifically point out these two men because they truly knew the horrors of war. They saw first hand what it can do to a people, to a nation. And they were trying to pass on their experience, and their wisdom to future generations.
After September 11, the President made a difficult decision to go to war in Afghanistan, and I supported him, as did most of America. The Taliban and Bin Laden were the targets, and they were the correct targets. But where is Osama Bin Laden? Where is Mullah Omar? Why have they fallen off our nation's radar?
After Afghanistan, the President, on false pretenses, and against the will and support of most of the rest of the world, invaded Iraq. Not because they were the next logical step in the war on terror, they weren't. But because the agenda to invade Iraq was on the table even before Bush & Co. took office. I would refer you to the "Project for the New American Century" - http://www.newamericancentury.org/, who advocated for the invasion of Iraq from their inception. Nearly all of the founding members are, or were, high ranking members of the Bush administration. There was always this agenda, prior to 9/11, and there is a paper trail to that effect. 9/11 simply made it easier to sell the agenda to the American people. This is factual Derrick. Do some research, and you'll discover that.
We're fighting the wrong war in the wrong country. And I refuse to support it, or sit idly by while our democracy is perverted for a private, corporatist agenda. In Iraq, we are simply benefitting the few at the expense of the many, and this IS NOT what our country is all about, and damnit, you know that!
I support our troups. I always will. I pray for their safe return every day. But I will not support a President or an administration that would haphazardly put our brave troups in harm's way in an illegal and unjust war, to enrich their corporate masters. Because in the end, that is what Iraq is all about.
I'm sick of it, and you should be too.
God Bless.
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