Your periodic political rant
Just carry on, thankful to be farmed like worms.
Let’s look at a brief timeline:
December 16, 2005. The New York Times reports that “President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to
eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States to search
for evidence of terrorist activity without the court-approved warrants” since 2002.
December 18, 2005. President Bush admits to the nation that he has authorized warrantless wiretaps. Despite the fact that these wiretaps are done without judicial
oversight (and therefore illegal), the President assures us that only
phone calls originating outside the U.S. are being monitored.
May 10, 2006. The DoJ drops a probe into illegal NSA wiretapping, because the NSA denied security clearances that would give them access to the program.
May 11, 2006. USA Today reports the NSA has been collecting the phone records of millions of Americans. The report goes on to say that the NSA intends to create a massive database of every call made.
May 16, 2006. The FBI acknowledges that “it is increasingly seeking reporters’ phone records in leak investigations.”
Folks, this isn’t the slippery slope. This is the goddamned greased flagpole.
It’s not a Democrat issue, or a Republican issue. It’s not a liberal or conservative issue. This is a “holy fuck we are becoming a police state” issue. And here’s the truly scary thing: 51% of Americans “disapprove of a massive Pentagon database containing the records of billions of phone calls made by ordinary citizens.” Only half of this country can be bothered to pull themselves out of their reality-show-induced coma to see that the federal government, assisted by corporate interests, are eroding our civil rights like a New Orleans levy.
I don’t give a fuck who you voted for last time. If you voted for Kerry, then it’s time to stop being so goddamned smug and do something. If you voted for Bush, this is almost certainly not what you had in mind. And if you’re one of the 29% who still think things are just peachy, please continue to enjoy your artificially flavored beverage.
Contact your representative. Let them know that you’re concerned about the direction our government is taking us. Email them if you must, but a written letter carries more weight, and a phone call is best. Be polite, but firm.
Contact your phone company. If your phone company is QWest, let them know that you are happy they didn’t voluntarily give up your phone records. A few other telecoms have stepped forward to deny their involvement too. Do a little research, and find out where yours stands. If yours sold you out, consider switching carriers if you can. (I hear Skype is a pretty good deal these days.)
Become involved, even if that means sending a few dollars to the ACLU or the EFF, or wherever you think it’ll help. DO NOT get involved in the blame game. This is not Clinton’s, Bill O’Reilly, Anne Coulter, or Al Franken’s fault. The United States is governed by and for the people. It’s our fault. Now let’s start fixing the goddamned thing.
Dudes, this shit has got to stop.
May 17th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
I'm sorry, did you say something? I was too busy watching our border, I think someone's conducting a gay marriage in the Rio Grande.
May 17th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Dead Kennedys, I like your taste in music. I admit I had to google the lyrics though.
I wish I could be as optimistic as you that the process could be fixed. I happen to think that we are in for some very dark and depressing times before things get better. Patriotism is the next opiate of the masses. Terrorism is a convenient excuse for the rich and powerful to tighten their grip on power. Welcome to the new world order.
May 17th, 2006 at 4:24 pm
Enhance your calm, John Spartan.
On a serious note, I completely agree with your above sentiment, stop the madness and shit, but I don't believe it will stop, it will escalate for the worse. Far too much corruption and too many inbred slack-jawed dolts reproducing.