So, I've had some additional time to think about this whole NSA thing, and like many of you, I am not thrilled with the fact that the government is data-mining my information. And I'm not thrilled with the fact that we have to go to such lengths to protect ourselves from people who have to do us harm. With that said, a couple of thoughts that I've pondered over the last few days:
1). If you asked the normal "Joe" on the street what level of privacy are they willing to give up in order to be more protected against attacks from those who want to do us harm, I don't think a normal person, let alone a highly educated person, would know what to say. I've heard from friends who are literally on both sides - both extremes. I have friends who say "I don't want to give up any personal privacy in order to stop something from MAYBE happening." And I've got friends who say "let the government do what they need to do in order to catch the 'bad guys.'" The fact of the matter is, I don't think there's going to be a black and white solution on this one guys - it's not either or. The public, that means you and me, John and Jane Q Public, have to start talking about this stuff. That means we have to put down our Lays potato chips and turn off Kim Kardashian, and American Idol, or "The Voice," and actually have an intelligent discussion about this stuff. And, once we have an intelligent conversation about this stuff, and we then need to figure out where the majority of people feel we need to be on this issue. We need to realize that we alone cannot change the issue - we don't get to make that decision. But, if WE all start to make our voices heard to our representatives in OUR congress, then change can happen.
That brings me to point number 2:
2). I can hear the cynics now. I have many of them on my Facebook. "The system's broken! Don't trust anybody! Down with the government! THEY can't spy on us." Here's my response to you: STOP! Seriously dudes and dudets, stop! Do you know how absolutely ignorant you sound. Look, I'm not a "tow the line" kind of guy by any means, but I also realize that total and complete anarchy simply because you don't agree with a a stance the current administration has taken, or the current congress has taken, isn't the way to go either. When you look at our system, and you look at the pitfalls and prizes it has gone through in our short history, you realize that we are probably the best equipped to handle stuff like this. And while it's not perfect, it is our system. And it does still have checks and balances built into it. And, if it is used correctly by those entitled to use it (US!), it actually will work. The problem now is that too many of us do not take an active interest in what is actually going on in the government unless it's a presidential year, and we're about 30 days out from election day. Other than that, the majority of America tunes out and tunes back into said American Idol broadcast, The Voice, or Kim Kardashian. Do you realize that at one point in time it was actually considered fashionable to truly KNOW what was going on in our country? And it wasn't that long ago either.
3). My last point has to do with Edward Snowden - the guy who "leaked" the classified material to the Guardian newspaper. My last post about him was about hailing him as a "national hero." I retract my last stance. Let me explain. If you think of our system as I do - as a true system of checks and balances. You have the Executive branch which carries out the vested power granted to it; you have the Congress which makes laws based upon the needs of its citizens; and you have the judicial branch, that makes certain the laws passed are in fact based in constitution - we have a pretty concrete system that makes sure things are running the way they should be running. And unless you're some conspiracy theorist that honestly believes that all three branches are conspiring and working in tandem, you know that in fact, all three branches are equal from one another and they don't report to one another in any capacity. With that said, this program, PRISM, among many other "spying" programs, have in fact been put before all three branches of the federal government. The executive branch has used their power, the judicial branch has confirmed the power, and the congressional branch has granted the power. And hello - that last branch, the congress, they are US. We elected them to represent us. And, the current serving members, or past serving members authorized this type of power to exist for whatever reason. With that said, this guy, Snowden, he comes along because he doesn't like the fact that we're doing it, and instead dumps classified material about the program, that puts possible lives in danger, simply because he has a difference of opinion. Folks - no matter how American you think that is, it is not American.
So let me conclude with this - we're not fighting some revolutionary war here against some tyrant of a King. This isn't the 1700's and we're not constantly struggling to have peace, or life, or liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. No - this is America, and it should be at its best. Through good times and bad, throughout history, there has always been somebody who has a difference of opinion. There will always be somebody who has a difference of opinion. But if we constantly scream "downfall to the American government" every time somebody has a difference of opinion, then we will never have government. And, in its simplest form, all government is, is the way we choose to organize ourselves as a society. Do you have a better plan? Do you know of a better way to organize ourselves that the current system that would maintain the same order and freedom from chaos than we currently have?
Okay, I'm done...thank you.
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