Edward Snowden, NSA, 4th Amendment

[warwick.hoy]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/b ... state.html

I think the N.S.A. is awesome.

I just reread “Nineteen Eighty-Four”—it actually has a lot of good ideas in it!

There’s no such thing as a “bad” drone.

Sure am glad that I never talk to any foreigners.

I wouldn’t know the first thing about making ricin.

The Fourth Amendment is overrated.

If you ask me, Guantánamo is full of nothing but complainers.

Just changed my Facebook status from “Single” to “In a Relationship with America.”

I’m pretty sure my neighbor is cheating on his taxes.

[Big Mon]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2013/06/useful-phrases-for-the-surveillance-state.html

I think the N.S.A. is awesome.

I just reread “Nineteen Eighty-Four”—it actually has a lot of good ideas in it!

There’s no such thing as a “bad” drone.

Sure am glad that I never talk to any foreigners.

I wouldn’t know the first thing about making ricin.

The Fourth Amendment is overrated.

If you ask me, Guantánamo is full of nothing but complainers.

Just changed my Facebook status from “Single” to “In a Relationship with America.”

I’m pretty sure my neighbor is cheating on his taxes.

I just made this mah Facebook status. Thank ye, James

[9520575]

Privacy may legitimately be obsolete in the future. I'm currently not in the future, I think attacks by terrorist are an acceptable risk to maintain privacy. Freedom is not free, correct. Risk of attacks are the price we pay. Okay. I'm fine with that...

Also, I'm confused i thought i knew this was happening years ago. I'm not sure Americans give a shit about politics until it hits them smack in the forehead. The turkish government wanted to plow some trees to build a mall, they are now facing the largest civil unrest in decades. Americans could give two fucks we're executing American citizens with flying robots. Two fucks...

Sigh...

[bigchiefbc]

Because of past experiences that have turned out horribly, I absolutely, categorically refuse to talk about anything even remotely related to politics on ILF (or IRL). The main problem is that if I find your politics abhorrent, I cannot separate that from you as a person. I admit that is a failing of mine, so I insulate myself from that automatically.

[warwick.hoy]

DOOODs; did you all hear that the new XBOX won't play second hand games?

NSFW: show

FUCK THAT

[hollowhero]

Since 9/11, I've assumed that the government has been watching my electronic activity in some way or another

[warwick.hoy]

We love the Fuzz; there is no possible way that any of us are on any "terrorist watch lists".

I'm still pissed about the new XBOX. YOU HEAR THAT NSA? Come at me bros.

[AxAxSxS]

Can we just get back to discussing the important issues? You know, gay marriage and guns and abortion and kardashiunz? I don't think this thread is divided enough.

[theavondon]

I basically combat the fact that I know I'm being watched by leading a completely pointless and innocuous life. SUCK IT AMERICA, I'M WORTHLESS

[Derelict78]

I can see an NSA base from my house, so I'm going to refrain from speaking my opinion about this.

[McSpunckle]

I just... I don't understand how this is new to anyone. How can there be a whistle-blower on something that we all knew was going on? ... we all knew, didn't we? The sweeping servailence has been going on for years-- and it started even before 9/11.

I'm not worried about them reading my emails and knowing who I call. I don't think it'll cause me any problems, personally, but it definitely is totally wrong. It's just a government failing to deal with a more technologically advanced world. Over-reaching is just what unchecked authority does, and it's not new. Remember, the second president (and his party) virtually nullified the first amendment with the sedition act, so talking about what the "founding fathers" wanted and intended is bullshit. They were just as bad, and sometimes worse.

The good news, and I hope I'm not just being blindly optimistic, is that democracy -usually- wins out in these cases. If people got pissed enough about this, like they did with SOPA, congress would probably do something.

[Gone Fission]

I just... I don't understand how this is new to anyone. How can there be a whistle-blower on something that we all knew was going on? ... we all knew, didn't we? The sweeping servailence has been going on for years-- and it started even before 9/11.

I've seen one story cited from seven years ago that basically said that they were doing most of what this current round of "revelations" say that they're doing. And I think most reasonably suspected that the NSA was dabbling before September, 2001.

There is a second tier to the discussion that I don't see breached often (although I don't have the patience to get into it -- as I stated earlier, I'm burned out from losing on this years ago): what data are private companies collecting on us for the NSA to piggyback off of? Why are we more concerned about a government that could be politically accountable and which grants us some structural rights and remedies, even if it's questionable how robust those are, as opposed to unaccountable and unregulated companies who are obligated to do anything up to and toeing over the edge of the law to turn a buck? I'm guessing we won't be having that discussion, though.

[Hiwatt Bob]

It has been common knowledge withing the Intelligence Community that Hiwatt Bob has the materials, technological capability, and motive to construct monster toanz 4 days on end. If they were ever to raid his basement, they would find the most epic cache of musical gear in private possession. The fact they haven't raided his basement raises even bigger questions.

[Ancient Astronaught]

I'm really disappointed with my government, which for me is nothing new. But now I'm reading polling numbers taken after the Edward Snowden NSA leaks showing the majority of Americans support the NSA's collection of all telephone records and online user data. I'm stunned that the backlash has been so tepid. So I'm wondering what people here think, maybe ILF can cheer me up.

Did you participate in this poll? Did anyone here participate in this poll? No? I didn't think so, so how is this poll even usable? It's not, it's manufactured by the liberal media to convince the sheep that the rest of the country is okay with it so you should be too, even though our current dictators approval rating is in the toilet at the current moment. Don't believe any poll you were not a direct part of, because its 99% most likely either a complete and utter falsity, or was a poll conducted of members that they knew would vote one way or another.

[fiddelerselbow]

I just... I don't understand how this is new to anyone. How can there be a whistle-blower on something that we all knew was going on? ... we all knew, didn't we? The sweeping servailence has been going on for years-- and it started even before 9/11.

I'm not worried about them reading my emails and knowing who I call. I don't think it'll cause me any problems, personally, but it definitely is totally wrong. It's just a government failing to deal with a more technologically advanced world. Over-reaching is just what unchecked authority does, and it's not new. Remember, the second president (and his party) virtually nullified the first amendment with the sedition act, so talking about what the "founding fathers" wanted and intended is bullshit. They were just as bad, and sometimes worse.

The good news, and I hope I'm not just being blindly optimistic, is that democracy -usually- wins out in these cases. If people got pissed enough about this, like they did with SOPA, congress would probably do something.

I wouldn't hold your breath on that one. The U.S government has (unsurprisingly) been involved in morally grey practices for decades. If anythings for certain, successive administrations don't learn any lessons.