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Staredit Network -> Serious Discussion -> SEN Weekly Opinion Poll IX
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-06 at 03:02:55
So, four years from now I organize an anti-war rally, right? Then I make a phone call to my friend in Korea. Now is my phone tapped? The point is the power of tapping the phones is unchecked and can easily be abused.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Doodan on 2006-02-06 at 03:23:25
DTBK's right. In order to destroy the reputation of people that could become a nuisance, they will look for ANYTHING (just like the international calls, internet searches, etc.) to try and link them to terrorists (or whatever witch hunt they're on at the time) to hinder those peoples' progress.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by dumbducky on 2006-02-06 at 17:45:08
QUOTE(DT_Battlekruser @ Feb 6 2006, 04:02 AM)
So, four years from now I organize an anti-war rally, right?  Then I make a phone call to my friend in Korea.  Now is my phone tapped?  The point is the power of tapping the phones is unchecked and can easily be abused.
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Yes you will be tapped if you friend in Korea is a terrorist. But other wise, no you won't be tapped.

QUOTE(benjamin franklin)
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

That may have been true in the late 1700's, but not in this day and age when a terrorist can walk into a mall and kill dozens of people.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-06 at 18:54:03
QUOTE
Yes you will be tapped if you friend in Korea is a terrorist. But other wise, no you won't be tapped.


Okay, so I lead an anti-war rally and my friend in Korea does something else anti-America-in-Iraq. So I'm tapped? The point as Doodan said, whatever witch hunt the government is on, the label you as a terrorist and compromise your rights.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Dr.Shotgun on 2006-02-06 at 19:44:49
Don't forget that they don't need due cause to tap you. Or am I wrong there?

Anyways, how do they know the phone number of a terrorist from the phone number of my (fictional) cousin in Afganistan? Plus, the information from the tapped phone calls is classified. Can you rreally expect the NSA to always thell the truth?There are strong parallels to the McCarthy era here. Anti-government speech and action could lead to you being labeled a terrorist and having faked phone calls used as evidence in court.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Doodan on 2006-02-06 at 20:00:20
QUOTE(Dr.Shotgun @ Feb 6 2006, 07:44 PM)
Don't forget that they don't need due cause to tap you. Or am I wrong there.

Anyways, how do they know the phone number of a terrorist from the phone number of my (fictional) cousin in Afganistan? Plus, the information from the tapped phone calls is classified. Can you rreally expect the NSa to always thell the truth. there are strong parallels to the McCarthy era here. Anti-government speech and action could lead to you being labeled a terrorist and having faked phone calls used as evidence in court.
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With the Patriot Act in effect, they don't need due cause. I can imagine being a bored government wire tapper. I would listen in on all kinds of conversations.

And we've been saying what you stated in the second paragraph all along.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by MillenniumArmy on 2006-02-06 at 20:11:27
I think this is bad.

Not because it is hindering our rights (like right to privacy and stuff,) but because I think it would be useless. IMO it's not going to do much into catching and stopping the terrorists.

But since this poll is about whether this is something you can use to indict a president, I voted for no comment.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by TheDaddy0420 on 2006-02-07 at 00:33:35
QUOTE(DT_Battlekruser @ Feb 6 2006, 12:02 AM)
So, four years from now I organize an anti-war rally, right?  Then I make a phone call to my friend in Korea.  Now is my phone tapped?  The point is the power of tapping the phones is unchecked and can easily be abused.
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It is checked. FBI, CIA, NSA. mmmm sounds familar, oh yeah! Similar to our three branches of government. They do check each other.

And have they been abused?

Also what type of anti-america-anit-war rallies are we talking about? If you start burning flags and start shooting guns in the air then yes, there is a good chance our government will look into you, even without the patriot act and NSA our government would still focus some attention on you, its perfectly natural to. I also think burning our flag (if your a citizen) is against the law... I heard that somewhere ermm.gif
QUOTE(Dr.Shotgun @ Feb 6 2006, 04:44 PM)
Don't forget that they don't need due cause to tap you. Or am I wrong there.

Anyways, how do they know the phone number of a terrorist from the phone number of my (fictional) cousin in Afganistan? Plus, the information from the tapped phone calls is classified. Can you rreally expect the NSa to always thell the truth. there are strong parallels to the McCarthy era here. Anti-government speech and action could lead to you being labeled a terrorist and having faked phone calls used as evidence in court.
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Ok:

They already know some one is a terrorist. They saw him blow something up (Just example). Via satelites(or other unnamed equipment) they trace who he is calling(from his region). They watch that person who he called. That new person calls some one in the States. We watch that person in the states. Hence we wire tap their international calls.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-07 at 02:32:07
QUOTE
It is checked. FBI, CIA, NSA. mmmm sounds familar, oh yeah! Similar to our three branches of government. They do check each other.


Not last time I checked. They never really.. got along. They are a lot more independent than the branches of government.

QUOTE
And have they been abused?


Was it right to wait for Hitler to invade Poland before we cared about him?

QUOTE
Also what type of anti-america-anit-war rallies are we talking about?


Peaceful demonstrations perhaps involving signs.

QUOTE
I also think burning our flag (if your a citizen) is against the law... I heard that somewhere


A law of such nature was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Hence the conservative extremists pushed an amendment to ban flag-burning, which was defeated.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by dumbducky on 2006-02-07 at 15:57:26
QUOTE(doodan)
With the Patriot Act in effect, they don't need due cause
Bigwigs in the NSA have already stated that they have many reasons to believe that your communicating with terrorists before they tap your phones.


To believe that a government agent is listening to your phone calls is just absurd. Anyway, what do you have to hide?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Voyager7456(MM) on 2006-02-07 at 18:48:45
You assume that the government will always use this power to do what's right. They're human beings as well, capable of abusing power for their own means.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by TheDaddy0420 on 2006-02-07 at 20:53:02
QUOTE
Not last time I checked. They never really.. got along. They are a lot more independent than the branches of government.


Ug.. ok:

FBI sends regional information to the NSA. CIA sends global information to the NSA. The NSA compares this information. CIA checks it's information with the FBI's. It checks out lets say. The NSA gives it's own information to the FBI or CIA. Both check if this new information checks out or not. When everything is ready the NSA conducts its wire taps on their specific subjuct's international calls.

They work together and check each other's information, even if sliuggish. Cutting out warrants cuts the sluggish time of information.

QUOTE
Was it right to wait for Hitler to invade Poland before we cared about him?


Relevance? Hitler abused his powers and the sanctions on him, the NSA has not abused its power.

QUOTE
Peaceful demonstrations perhaps involving signs.


No trouble, no wire taps, what makes your demonstration stand out from the hundreds or even thousands of others around the coutnry? (if still remaining peaceful)

QUOTE
A law of such nature was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Hence the conservative extremists pushed an amendment to ban flag-burning, which was defeated.


Burning the flag is a sign of disrespect to your nation and your national identity. If you burn American flags and your American, I don't think this country is right for you if are commiting these deeds.

QUOTE
You assume that the government will always use this power to do what's right. They're human beings as well, capable of abusing power for their own means.


Proof? Theres a lot of 'what if's' to that arguement. What if a meteor hit and we all died? Have they abused it?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Arbitrary on 2006-02-07 at 20:59:18
QUOTE(TheDaddy0420 @ Feb 7 2006, 08:53 PM)
Burning the flag is a sign of disrespect to your nation and your national identity.  If you burn American flags and your American, I don't think this country is right for you if are commiting these deeds.

So?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by dumbducky on 2006-02-07 at 21:17:46
If your gonna burn the flag of your country, get the hell out.
America: Love it or leave
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Sie_Sayoka on 2006-02-07 at 21:20:45
you know... this country isnt totally corrupt yet.... we can love it or change it
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Arbitrary on 2006-02-07 at 21:37:32
QUOTE(dumbducky @ Feb 7 2006, 09:17 PM)
If your gonna burn the flag of your country, get the hell out.
America: Love it or leave
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I sure as hell will; when I'm old enough to move, and when Europe is cleansed of its Muslim leech problem.

Until then, I'll burn flags to my full satisfaction.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-07 at 22:34:37
QUOTE
Bigwigs in the NSA have already stated that they have many reasons to believe that your communicating with terrorists before they tap your phones.


1. They hate me
2. I hate Bush
3. I criticize them

Nobody is stopping them from using reasons like those.

QUOTE
FBI sends regional information to the NSA. CIA sends global information to the NSA. The NSA compares this information. CIA checks it's information with the FBI's. It checks out lets say. The NSA gives it's own information to the FBI or CIA. Both check if this new information checks out or not. When everything is ready the NSA conducts its wire taps on their specific subjuct's international calls.


Explain to me the controversy regarding 9/11 and the sharing of information between the FBI and CIA?

QUOTE
Relevance? Hitler abused his powers and the sanctions on him, the NSA has not abused its power.


We ignored Hitler until he made an overtly hostile act against another country, despite the fact it was obvious he was corrupt. Shall we do the same with our government; wait until they start abusing their powers and shutting up the people before we care?

QUOTE
No trouble, no wire taps, what makes your demonstration stand out from the hundreds or even thousands of others around the coutnry? (if still remaining peaceful)


Oh, really? Why is it then that two planned demonstrations at UC campuses were labeled national threats by the government?

QUOTE
If your gonna burn the flag of your country, get the hell out.
America: Love it or leave


Pardon, but as a minor I do not have the freedom to leave this country. But hate it I may.

QUOTE
you know... this country isnt totally corrupt yet.... we can love it or change it


It would be lovely to see America take a turn for the better but every day it takes three steps closer to irreversible destruction.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by TheDaddy0420 on 2006-02-07 at 23:46:45
QUOTE(DT_Battlekruser @ Feb 7 2006, 07:34 PM)

1. They hate me
2. I hate Bush
3. I criticize them

Nobody is stopping them from using reasons like those.
Explain to me the controversy regarding 9/11 and the sharing of information between the FBI and CIA?
We ignored Hitler until he made an overtly hostile act against another country, despite the fact it was obvious he was corrupt.  Shall we do the same with our government; wait until they start abusing their powers and shutting up the people before we care?
Oh, really?  Why is it then that two planned demonstrations at UC campuses were labeled national threats by the government?
Pardon, but as a minor I do not have the freedom to leave this country.  But hate it I may.
It would be lovely to see America take a turn for the better but every day it takes three steps closer to irreversible destruction.

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Explain to me the reforms our government has gone through since 9/11

Doesn't matter, Hilter was ALREADY abusing his power before he invaded other countries. NSA = No abuse.

Explain to me the details, SPECIFIC, exactly WHAT they did, in a nuetrol manner.
Also, explain to me why you would know everything about those protests? Protests are broken up all the time, national threats? "What if" some of those kids made prant phone calls about terrorist bombings. "What if" the NSA caught on to some chatter involving the protest?

Those protesters are only human, theres no limit to the corruption with in that group and no limit to the abuse of power.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-08 at 00:03:27
So we should wait not only until the government abuses it powers, but also until it declares itself an autocracy to complain since Hitler "was abusing his powers" and we didn't care?

QUOTE
The American Civil Liberties Union asked the state Wednesday to reveal whether law enforcement agents were gathering information on California activists, in light of revelations that the federal government monitored a conference on Iraq at Stanford University and an anti-war protest at UC Santa Cruz.

The ACLU asked whether local and state law enforcement officials were providing information to the FBI about a variety of groups, including Greenpeace, United for Peace and Justice, Code Pink, UC Santa Cruz Students Against the War, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Three California affiliates of the ACLU filed their request with Attorney General Bill Lockyer, citing the state Public Records Act.

The FBI has said it conducts investigations legally and according to Justice Department rules. Lockyer spokesman Nathan Barankin had not yet seen the request Wednesday but said the office would comply.

The ACLU seeks any intelligence compiled by the California Anti- Terrorism Information Center, a clearinghouse of information about domestic intelligence. Lockyer reorganized the center in 2003 after concerns that it was collecting intelligence on activists conducting peaceful demonstrations.

The ACLU is concerned that because federal officials have greater leeway to investigate organizations than do their California counterparts, state and local agents could be conducting surveillance for Washington that would be illegal under California law.

"The Bay Area has a rich tradition of opposing various activities of the government and having a robust debate on current issues," said Mark Schlosberg, police practices policy director of the ACLU of Northern California. "The prospect of the government monitoring that peaceful activity is disturbing."

On Tuesday, the national ACLU released FBI documents it had obtained that the group said "showed the FBI expanding the definition of 'domestic terrorism' to include citizens and groups that participate in lawful protests and civil disobedience."

Included in the thousands of pages were documents showing that FBI agents had obtained a contact list for "attendees at the Third National Organizing Conference on Iraq," a 2002 event at Stanford University at which activists and academics discussed the effect of sanctions on Iraq.

Though the report was heavily redacted, the documents said the event was "affiliated with (the) American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee," a 25-year-old civil rights organization that was one of the co-sponsors of the conference.

"Why would you have surveillance of a conference at a respected university?" said Mary Rose Oakar, a former Ohio congresswoman and president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, who noted that no one involved in the event had been arrested. "Do we not have academic freedom in this country?"

The FBI files released this week by the ACLU also showed that the government had been monitoring the activities of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Noting the group's penchant for street theater, PETA general counsel Jeff Kerr said, "The FBI ought to be able to tell the difference between a terrorist and a guy in a chicken suit handing out leaflets."

Last week, MSNBC obtained 400 pages of Pentagon documents revealing that the U.S. military had listed 1,500 "suspicious incidents" across the country over a 10-month period dating back to 2004, including dozens of anti-war meetings and protests.

Among the incidents was an April 6 anti-military recruiting protest at UC Santa Cruz. The military, which defended its intelligence as "properly collected" to MSNBC, listed the Santa Cruz protest as a credible security threat.

"If the Pentagon is gathering information about students and labeling nonviolent protest as a threat, then what is the average American going to feel about picking up a sign and getting out to the streets to protest the war?" said Josh Sonnefeld, a UC Santa Cruz student and anti-military recruiting organizer who attended the demonstration.


--San Francisco Chronicle

Things like this give me no trust in who the federal government considers national threats and terrorists. Like Doodan said, whatever witch hunt the government is on now, they'll call you a terrorist.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by TheDaddy0420 on 2006-02-08 at 01:55:11
QUOTE(DT_Battlekruser @ Feb 7 2006, 09:03 PM)
So we should wait not only until the government abuses it powers, but also until it declares itself an autocracy to complain since Hitler "was abusing his powers" and we didn't care?
--San Francisco Chronicle

Things like this give me no trust in who the federal government considers national threats and terrorists.  Like Doodan said, whatever witch hunt the government is on now, they'll call you a terrorist.

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Who ever said the NSA was going to abuse it's powers? If you ask me, radical, immature college kids abuse more things then the government could ever hope to dream.

ACLU = Dishonest organization that FARKED the crap out of my dad. I hold a personal grudge against this highly bais, left wing controled pain in the butt giant.

Anyways you didn't give me what I wanted. I Need to know specifics, what those college kids were doing before/after the protest. Specific details my son. And that news article was no neutrol.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-08 at 03:34:42
QUOTE
Who ever said the NSA was going to abuse it's powers?


There's nothing stopping it from abusing its powers, and it is bound to happen. The point is, it may not be abusing anything yet, but it can happen any day and be totally legal.

Dishonest or not, there are certain facts stated in the article.

QUOTE
in light of revelations that the federal government monitored a conference on Iraq at Stanford University and an anti-war protest at UC Santa Cruz.


QUOTE
documents showing that FBI agents had obtained a contact list for "attendees at the Third National Organizing Conference on Iraq," a 2002 event at Stanford University at which activists and academics discussed the effect of sanctions on Iraq.


QUOTE
400 pages of Pentagon documents revealing that the U.S. military had listed 1,500 "suspicious incidents" across the country over a 10-month period dating back to 2004, including dozens of anti-war meetings and protests.


QUOTE
Among the incidents was an April 6 anti-military recruiting protest at UC Santa Cruz. The military, which defended its intelligence as "properly collected" to MSNBC, listed the Santa Cruz protest as a credible security threat.


An anti-recruiting protest a national threat? Yeah right. Sounds more like a witch hunt.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Zombie on 2006-02-08 at 13:31:14
I dont think its right, Personlly i belive our converstations are private.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by TheDaddy0420 on 2006-02-08 at 18:51:04
QUOTE(DT_Battlekruser @ Feb 8 2006, 12:34 AM)
There's nothing stopping it from abusing its powers, and it is bound to happen.  The point is, it may not be abusing anything yet, but it can happen any day and be totally legal.

Dishonest or not, there are certain facts stated in the article.
An anti-recruiting protest a national threat?  Yeah right.  Sounds more like a witch hunt.

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avoiding my request
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-08 at 19:21:29
There is no "detailed explanation". The whole point is that the federal government is not being very forthcoming with what they do.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by TheDaddy0420 on 2006-02-08 at 19:28:03
The point is no one knows the specifics of how an event took place. You and I both don't know what some of these people have said/did say during/before/after the protest.

You can't generalize and take such a radical stance so quickly.
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