[Attn.: This post is a complete rant which I truly try to keep from posting here at Sparking the Left. But this time I could not help myself.]
With all of these revelations this past week regarding our government’s collection of bulk personal data from the four largest telecommunications companies in the U.S., and most of the giants of Silicon Valley, has blown my mind.
Now, as a result of a good episode of “Frontline” I have seen, I know that the NSA searches through our e-mails whenever certain terms like “terror” or “Al Quaida” are used. But this construction of a database for the NSA, CIA, and the FBI to have at their own convenience is absolutely unacceptable even if they call it by a new, fancy name, like “metadata.” And they’ve done it with secret warrants from secret FISA courts which makes these actions look even more dubious.
Pres. Obama may have told us that nobody is listening to our phone calls and no one is reading our e-mails. But what if the next White House is won by another Richard Nixon or the FBI has another J. Edgar Hoover. Who is going to stop them from using that data for nefarious purposes. We could have another COINTELPRO on our hands like they did in the late 60′s and early 70′s which spies on perceived “subversive” individuals and groups (look up COINTELPRO on the web sometimes, kids). They could come after Paul, me, or our valued readers who follow this blog for just being critical of the government.
This is just too dangerous let go. We must keep our opposition strong until necessary changes are made.
