While I'm trying to reduce political posts, in an attempt to re-focus this blog on the original intended subject matter (infosec and technology), you'll have to excuse me on occasion if I fall back into my old ways. Today, for instance, I've read that, despite being told by Congress "you are not allowed to do this," the Pentagon went ahead and built-out the Total Information Awareness (TIA) program via its black ops budget, specifically at NSA.
You might think a couple things: "What's wrong with that?" and "I have nothing to hide, so what?" Well, let me put a couple quick thoughts forward on that. First, you should care that your communications are being monitored by the government without any reasonable suspicion of wrong-doing. Second, this means that the Pentagon may be spying domestically (as if we didn't already know that), which represents some interesting legal concerns. Third, you have a right to privacy, as established in case law deriving from the US Constitution, and moreover you have a right to reasonably expect the government not to spy on you, by extension.
Whereas the federal government (specifically the Executive Branch) would have you believe that not having TIA is a threat to national security, I turn the argument around 180 degrees. My belief is that programs like TIA are a threat the very fabric of American society, representing a contrary position to the ideals of this representative democracy, and infringing on our freedom and civil liberty. In essence, it is one of the many attributes of a shift toward fascism, which leads to oppression and a radical diversion from the ideals inherent in that sacred covenant, the US Constitution. The feds have been remiss in demonstrating that there is any factual basis to their FUD, expecting us to simply tolerate the infringements, assuming that they're acting in good faith. However, know factually that this administration cannot be trusted to act in good faith, and thus we should actively resist further violations of our rights, such as TIA, if only on the basis of the fruit of the poisoned tree.
fwiw.
