Forum Post: Freedoms and Rights, the battle to regain our government, an article you may want to consider.
Posted 12 years ago on April 4, 2012, 12:18 p.m. EST by DKAtoday
(33802)
from Coon Rapids, MN
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Quote of the Day: "When they started violating the Constitution, I couldn’t stay." - former NSA employee William Binney
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/ff_nsadatacenter/all/1
We recommend that you read this article in Wired: "The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say)"
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/ff_nsadatacenter/all/1
This is the scariest true thing I've read in a long time. There were butterflies in my stomach as I considered the implications.
If you are too busy to read the Wired article, then I urge you to at least read this brief letter, below. It provides some of the essential facts. The NSA is destroying all communications privacy through its Stellar Wind program. We urge you to tell Congress to shut down Stellar Wind using Downsize DC's Hands Off the Internet campaign.
https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/hands-off-the-internet/
The hard-wired message says...
Perhaps the greatest threat to Internet freedom is warrantless federal spying on our online and telephone activities.
Warrantless spying was exposed during the Bush Administration. Instead of impeaching the President, Congress - including then-Senator Obama - gutlessly LEGALIZED his crimes with the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. Worse, they did so even though zero evidence was provided that this was needed to prevent terrorist attacks.
Armed with YOUR legislative encouragement, the NSA (National Security Agency) is going much farther with its Stellar Wind program. They're assuming that if you gave them an inch, they must go an extra 10,000 miles. As James Bamford reports, the NSA... (http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/ff_nsadatacenter/all/1)
- put wiretapping rooms at key junction points throughout the country, gaining access to most domestic phone calls, emails, and cell phone communications. AT&T and Verizon were amongst those who prominently cooperated.
- has access to personal data like bookstore receipts, bank statements, and commuter toll records.
- is constructing a data center in Utah to store ALL of this information, perpetually.
- funds supercomputing efforts to break codes and get access to encrypted data.
Are you going to permit the NSA to invade my privacy without probable cause or a warrant!
Do we actually have a "free" society if The Leviathan State can read everything we say and write? Are we truly more secure because those conversations are recorded in one central location, forever?
After it was revealed that President Nixon used eavesdropping and spying powers on his political opponents, Congress created the FISA court that could issue search warrants in cases containing top-secret information.
- This provided some safeguards against the overreach of government spooks.
- It helped ensure that The State could not use surveillance powers for political purposes.
- It reassured The People.
But when you and your colleagues passed the FISA Amendments Act, you essentially said that...
Nixon was right all along!
You were endorsing the notion that the Executive Branch SHOULD have virtually unchecked power. And now those chickens have come home to roost. The NSA is merely following a Congressional lead with its Big Brother projects and policies.
I do not consent to being spied on! I do not consent to the long-term storage of my personal communications.
And yes, I suspect I am being spied upon, as if I'm a criminal.
I demand that you restore the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution by...
- repealing the FISA Amendments Act. Restore the original FISA law to protect citizens from warrantless surveillance.
- shutting down and de-funding the NSA's Stellar Wind program.
I'm sharing James Bamford's article with friends. To the degree that you refuse to act as I've suggested, I hope your support erodes.
END LETTER
https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/hands-off-the-internet/
You can send your letter using DownsizeDC.org's Educate the Powerful System.
Friends, we need to make this a national issue. We need to make good on our threat to erode the power of a Congress that refuses to act. Therefore...
If you didn't yet read the Wired article about Stellar Wind and the NSA’s other invasive spying plans, then save this Dispatch and return to it sometime this week. Really, you need to understand how dire the situation is.
After you've sent your message to Congress, share this Dispatch with friends. Do your best to get at least two other people to join you. Encourage them to do the same. Our Educate the Powerful System makes the process simple and free. National resistance is needed, and it starts with you acting and getting others to act.
If ever there was a DownsizeDC.org message that needed forwarding, this one is it!
Jim Babka President DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
Hi DKA, Signed. Thank you for post. We are under constant attack. Best Regards, Nevada
Thanks Nevada1. Attacks are way too numerous and that is exactly why the movements against corruption can not be stuck on any one issue. There are key issues like osta and corporate personhood that are priorities but they can not be our only focus, as we have, as you said many attackers.
We live in really strange times now.
Yes we do. It is really hard to imagine that we have fallen so far. Even worse that we could be so far into the positive by now if it were not for greed and corruption. The technology we have available today is so awesome if it were only used properly - for the good of all. It is hard to imagine all of the truly intelligent people there are today and so few in recognition of the facts.
Agree. Extreme Greed, corruption and need to control, are beyond belief. Technology being use as weapon against us. Like a old movie/novel plot, coming true. However, we will continue to get the truth out there.
Truth and spreading it is the best thing we can do, along with providing direct action opportunities as they become available to act on. It is a matter for the full public to address and fix, and they ( the public at large ) are rusty to say the least on taking action, so they need all of the help we can throw their way.
Great post, DKAtoday! This issue is of paramount importance to the safety and well-being of all American citizens. Our rights to privacy are being eroded, mocked and maligned.
Thank you for stopping in beautifulworld, I know you keep very busy. This goes beyond the pale of personal & private intrusion. This goes way beyond illegal wire-taps. This bypasses all legal due process. This is severely wrong in so many ways. The FBI was not allowed to do it back in the day no one should be allowed to do it now. Terrorist fear mongering is what it is - an excuse to break down civil liberties.
It is sheer insanity. A sign of a nation gone mad. What happened to our "rugged individualism?" What a joke. They only pull that out of their hat when it's convenient, you know, for issues like healthcare. Don't want to force people to buy healthcare because they're rugged individuals. They're responsible for themselves. But, gee, no problem READING AND STORING THE PERSONAL E-MAILS of those same "rugged individuals! Insanity!
It is more of the same old same old. It's not right for anyone to do this kind of thing any where in the world as this is criminal activity - Except for us because we are responsible and trust worthy. I mean look at our great banking system our absolutely awesome Stock Market our environmentally concerned business's our people oriented government, and you know that every little thing is going to be alright.
Another rendition of do what we say not what we do, because we are entitled but you are not. Why ? Well for 1 because we say so.
All true. Our hubris will be our downfall. Foolish. Very foolish.
It is why we the sane and aware people in this society are here, supporting education and confrontation of corruption greed malfeasance in our country.
We try. : )
I pray we always will!
{:-])
As I had said before, Obama, being so intelligent relative to some of his predecessors, knows all of the tricks of Nixon. After the coming election is over, he will be freed up to reveal his true colors and exercise the powers that have already been granted him by the Congress (which has been scared into diarrhea).
The pressure of public outcry must continue, and in as constructive a fashion as possible.
Great post!!
Thanks - I got lucky. Lets hope ( I hope ) it is shared out to the rest of the world.
It is from my end. :D
I know I can count on you. It makes me feel real good that we have so many good people here.
A great post DKA! Thanks. You'd think if people actually read this stuff there would be no way to fool them again, so lets hope they do.
Thanks GK, all we can do is spread the word and present opportunities to take direct action. Awareness and involvement will happen as issues are brought to light. Good to have so many dedicated individuals spreading the word.
Perhaps the internet should be considered, " International Waters."
Reality is that this world is run by a few hundred multi-billionairs. Everybody else is just a dupe. And the President like the most of Congress and the judges do what they're told. Notions of democracy, civil liberty, and freedom are only delusions. As if it really makes a difference, they got ya by the balls anyways, what else should one expect from the psychos running this planet?
[Removed]