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All that eavesdropping
and the government STILL doesn't listen to me! Maybe they should get some hearing aids.
posted by
cpklapper
on November 22, 2011 at 11:27 AM
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Re:
As with anything else, there are always pros and cons. For years it seems, people have been giving up more and more of their freedom for the sake of security . . . or in some cases . . . the sense of security. I tell people all the time; no matter where you are or what you are doing, go ahead and assume that someone's watching you. And now, you might as well go ahead and assume that someone's reading your electronic messages too. Where's Winston Smith when you need him? 
posted by
JimmyA
on November 11, 2011 at 2:20 PM
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I like your point about defining what's controversial. It is easy for a culture of debate to emerge where anyone who opposes the status quo is branded as being part of a fringe section of society. Obama himself was accused of being many derogatory things for espousing the ideas and opinions that he did.
I think it's important for as many people as possible to join in a public debate, to get as many different, varied views as possible, and not let the debate be framed by a few. Radio hosts have this power, political pundits, newspaper columists - all of these have a disproportionately powerful voice in a politically charged atmosphere. There should be mass meetings, as many held as possible, open to all. People should talk to as many other individuals as they can, rather than deferring to a single individual.
I'm not someone who thinks of surveillance - I'll admit to never having been bothered by it. I believe, like you do, in what it can accomplish - the crime it can prevent, people who might normally be attacked - because of the surveillance, there's less chance of it happening. We have in the UK road surveillance - monitoring how fast someone's speeding- again, I think this is sensible use of surveilling people's actions, and preventing needless accidents. But I understand the intrusion aspect as well, people beginning to feel like things may be going too far. i don't know the ins and outs of the 2004 PATRIOT Act. I know that there has been much political opposition to it. Those who have argued against it, they may be right. But I couldn't really take a stance on it.
I enjoyed that blog - it went into good depth on the issue, looking at the pros and cons of an important element of maintaining order and security.
posted by
thomaspunch
on November 11, 2011 at 10:35 AM
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