The revelation of the existence of Operation PRISM has caused quite a stir across the nation today, at least with a few people. PRISM is a program of cooperation between all the Internet giants and the United States government, as represented by a veritable alphabet soup of federal agencies, which pretty much gives these agencies a free rein in mining through private citizens' doings on the Internet. This information mining will, by the law of averages, eventually yield information and plots posted by terrorists. In the meantime, it would yield vast amounts of information on you and me as well. Granted, most of us only post innocuous and trivial information; but is this really the point?
For me, the point is that by law, the United States Constitution specifically, we are to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and we are to be free to enjoy life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness. Does the government's total usurpation of the Constitution somehow multiply my enjoyment of life, more liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? No, nor does the same somehow increase my safety from "terrorists."
There is one more point that I would like to make. In just the few hours since the PRISM revelations were made, I have seen articles and blogs on the Internet, such as the one below:
http://gizmodo.com/why-i-just-dont-give-a-shit-about-prism-or-any-other-511941519
Pardon the profanity in the title, it is not my title nor my article. I posted this article because I am afraid that many people share the sentiments of the writer of this article. They declare in chorus, like a thousand bleating sheep, "I have done nothing wrong. I don't care if the government spies on me. They are protecting me."
I corresponded briefly with a gentlemen on Facebook who expressed the same sentiment. He has done nothing wrong, he is not a criminal, and therefore, he has no reason to be concerned that the government is "reading my email." I am not particularly concerned that someone may be reading my email, either, to the extent that I am not writing illegal information or writing about illegal criminal plots. What I AM concerned about is the Government's candid admission that federal agencies are indeed mining citizens' activities on the Internet for "national security reasons." Operation PRISM is not just about reading emails, but about collecting all forms of information a person might upload, including pictures, documents, files, search history, and ANYTHING we have placed on the Internet. Do you realize that the acknowledged cost of PRISM is $20,000,000. If, as many of the sheeple have pointed out, they are only posting harmless and trivial information, how is this government expense justified? And it has gone on now for at least seven years. Surely by now the Government knows who amongst us are dangerous. If that is the case, than the expense for PRISM should be dropping every year, as the PRISM operatives should by now KNOW on whom to focus. Yet they are spying on ALL OF US.
Yesterday we celebrated the bravery and the memory of those Americans who took part in the Invasion of Europe in 1946. These brave soldiers were not on the beach for their health. No, they were fighting for our liberty, and paying for freedom with their blood. That is why I am so appalled and disgusted at the numbers of people (sheeple) who are willing to lay down and let this heavy and oppressive government continue forcing us down the road to dictatorship. They are willing to give up freedom for security. But they do not have the right to speak for me or for others that love freedom. These sheeple do not have the right to GIVE our rights away, when our men and women, from the Revolution to the Second Iraq War, have laid down their lives for our freedom. I propose that people who want to be totally protected by the government pick a dictatorship somewhere, perhaps Iran or North Korea, and legally immigrate to one of those nations. But if you stay in America, remember you cannot give away what is not yours. Rights were granted by the Creator to all of us. If having rights is too much of a responsibility, please leave these United States and proceed directly to the nearest dictatorship. Just don't try to give away my rights - they are INALIENABLE!!
For me, the point is that by law, the United States Constitution specifically, we are to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and we are to be free to enjoy life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness. Does the government's total usurpation of the Constitution somehow multiply my enjoyment of life, more liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? No, nor does the same somehow increase my safety from "terrorists."
There is one more point that I would like to make. In just the few hours since the PRISM revelations were made, I have seen articles and blogs on the Internet, such as the one below:
http://gizmodo.com/why-i-just-dont-give-a-shit-about-prism-or-any-other-511941519
Pardon the profanity in the title, it is not my title nor my article. I posted this article because I am afraid that many people share the sentiments of the writer of this article. They declare in chorus, like a thousand bleating sheep, "I have done nothing wrong. I don't care if the government spies on me. They are protecting me."
I corresponded briefly with a gentlemen on Facebook who expressed the same sentiment. He has done nothing wrong, he is not a criminal, and therefore, he has no reason to be concerned that the government is "reading my email." I am not particularly concerned that someone may be reading my email, either, to the extent that I am not writing illegal information or writing about illegal criminal plots. What I AM concerned about is the Government's candid admission that federal agencies are indeed mining citizens' activities on the Internet for "national security reasons." Operation PRISM is not just about reading emails, but about collecting all forms of information a person might upload, including pictures, documents, files, search history, and ANYTHING we have placed on the Internet. Do you realize that the acknowledged cost of PRISM is $20,000,000. If, as many of the sheeple have pointed out, they are only posting harmless and trivial information, how is this government expense justified? And it has gone on now for at least seven years. Surely by now the Government knows who amongst us are dangerous. If that is the case, than the expense for PRISM should be dropping every year, as the PRISM operatives should by now KNOW on whom to focus. Yet they are spying on ALL OF US.
Yesterday we celebrated the bravery and the memory of those Americans who took part in the Invasion of Europe in 1946. These brave soldiers were not on the beach for their health. No, they were fighting for our liberty, and paying for freedom with their blood. That is why I am so appalled and disgusted at the numbers of people (sheeple) who are willing to lay down and let this heavy and oppressive government continue forcing us down the road to dictatorship. They are willing to give up freedom for security. But they do not have the right to speak for me or for others that love freedom. These sheeple do not have the right to GIVE our rights away, when our men and women, from the Revolution to the Second Iraq War, have laid down their lives for our freedom. I propose that people who want to be totally protected by the government pick a dictatorship somewhere, perhaps Iran or North Korea, and legally immigrate to one of those nations. But if you stay in America, remember you cannot give away what is not yours. Rights were granted by the Creator to all of us. If having rights is too much of a responsibility, please leave these United States and proceed directly to the nearest dictatorship. Just don't try to give away my rights - they are INALIENABLE!!
No comments:
Post a Comment