Contributor Opinion.
Today I wanted to ask a simple question related with the “NSA Program, PRISM”!
Something not extremely surprising considering other intelligence programs covered in our publication.
President Barack Obama mentioned that in order to provide citizens with maximum security “spying on people” is a necessary requirement.
Would you agree with this measure whether or not you live in the U.S.? And is this excuse a violation of privacy?
Themistocles Konstantinou.
“Answering to your questions i have to separate my answer according to 2 perspectives: a. Security and safety b. Ethics
I mention firstly even I am not American and do not live in US, that i am supporter of Barack Obama for many reasons but now it is not the questioning on this. Nevertheless i support his move in order to provide citizens with security and many excuses could be followed. All of them were accepted, BUT!!!! on the other hand it is an arguing subject if it is ethical or not.
I understand the question if is this a violation of privacy. Yes of course it is. No-one could be opposite on this. More or less is a violation of privacy but nowadays we see thousands of violations of our privacy around us, during many controversial applied policies by the governments worldwide. If we start to question what is legitimate, ethical, abnormal or not then probably the end of the discussion will last long and be extended in the next decade.
Under the scope that if somebody is “clear” and is not be afraid the law maybe will be more compliant with such controversial measures.BUT it is NOT an excuse; perhaps is the “rut” where Obama’s administration follows like any other Government do. For me those policies is a key-issue about any administration and it is ethical to put before the people in the next election.
The next presidential candidates if they support such policies should put them in their campaigns to acquire the necessary legitimacy before those who will vote for them. I think with this way, it is honest and clear. For me it is better for President Obama to wait till the end of his presidential period and set the dilemma to the people on next elections.”
Mich E. Kabay.
“The indiscriminate collection of metadata without probable cause is not only a violation of the Fourth Amendment restrictions on search and seizure: it’s also a waste of resources. Effective security measures must focus on high-value actions, not simply security theater — giving the uninformed the _impression_ that security is being ensured. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has been questionable on constitutional grounds since its inception; the idea that the United States of America countenances secret courts and authorization for monitoring of its own citizens simply by assertion of law enforcement or intelligence officers is a shameful invitation for governmental abuse.
To those who recite, “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing fear,” those of us who support civil liberties respond, “How do you know that YOUR political views will not someday be viewed as threatening to those in power?” Right-wing supporters of intrusive, extra-legal surveillance should contemplate the recent scandal involving selective enforcement of IRS rules on right-wing political organizations before they assume that government will always support their particular views. They should also listen to the cries of outrage from Republicans — the same ones who _supported_ government intrusions under FISA as defined in the U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act (an acronym created for propaganda and that would have suited the dictators in Orwell’s _1984_).
The fundamental issue is that our society is supposed to be and should be one of rule of law, not one of rule of the powerful. We already have examples the world ’round of totalitarian regimes who define holding specific opinions as sedition; what makes the supporters of FISA and wholesale data capture think that they are immune to the equivalent right here in the USA?
Another important issue is transparency. In the United States, we rejected the concepts of the Star Chamber — secret courts with secret evidence — centuries ago. Today, we see FISA permitting not only secret proceedings, but also punishment for anyone revealing that they have been ordered to divulge what is normally considered private information. The most sinister provision affects libraries, which can be ordered to deliver lists of books borrowed by any designated subject — and forbidden to reveal the order. Some libraries have established policies purging their records as soon as books are returned; some even put up signs reading ‘THIS LIBRARY HAS NOT BEEN SERVED WITH AN ORDER TO REVEAL READERS’ BORROWINGS.” They then take the signs down after a FISA order. Find out more at the American Library Association (ALA.ORG).
I urge everyone in the USA to read the thoughtful analyses available through the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU.ORG), the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF.ORG) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC.ORG).
Think carefully about these issues. If you agree with the skeptics, tell your legislative representatives that you oppose wholesale surveillance on constitutional and practical grounds.”
Catherine Haig.
“POTUS Obama is just a shill for the “powers that be” that really run our country. They want to spy on Americans who they feel are subversives and “terrorists”.
Even to the point of arresting an 18 year old Boston Kid who wrote rap lyrics about the Boston Bombing was a witch hunt n a half. Thankfully he was released. This “terror plan” the NSA and government has since George Bush Jr is to keep citizens in line. It’s 1984 in real life. Not the book; the reality. We are forever being watched and instead of getting rid of the real terrorists among us by deporting them out of our midst; we are all subjected to the crap that the NSA and POTUS Obama and Bush are doing and it’s against our constitutional rights.
But the constitution be damned because our government does not give a damn about the citizens. Their idea is that there is a gross population overflow and this is another good way to cut down the census.So count on this, no more wars but the war has come to America’s shores. We are the hunted and as the NSA and government becomes stronger the less people will receive from them and the more problems people will encounter. It’s the only way our huge government can rule citizens and get rid of them at the same time.
We may be the 990% but our voice is gone. It’s time to stand up and no one is willing to do so.”
