Thursday, December 29, 2005

The Impossibility of Protecting Stupid People From Terrorist Attacks

The media folks ~ and, unfortunately, all the people who believe them ~ are mad at Bush for invading their privacy in his efforts to stop terrorism. Their main and only argument is that he did it without getting a warrant first, and this is unconstitutional, a breach of power, a horrible evil thing that makes Bush a really bad guy!

I realized something this morning, and I can't figure out why no one has pointed it out yet! How can Bush get a warrant to eavesdrop on someone if he doesn't have evidence that they're terrorists? But how can he have evidence that they're terrorists if he doesn't have a warrant to eavesdrop on them? It's impossible!

They want him to figure out who the terrorists are without spying on the people who aren't. It's like placing a hundred cups in front of him, asking him to pick the cup with the pea under it, and getting mad when he starts lifting all the cups.

If the government is forced to stop spying on people without warrants, here's what is going to happen:

Ahmed A calls his grandmother in Afghanistan to wish her a happy birthday. Ahmed B calls Osama to tell him they've secured the bombs for the oil refineries, or maybe the lethal mutation of the avian flu virus.

The government wants to listen to both calls, forget about the innocent grandma, and work on the attack. But it doesn't have enough outside evidence to get a warrant for either one. So, guess what? No one knows about the attack.

Hopefully, even if they're "forced" to stop, they'll keep doing it behind our back like they always have. Buf if not, take comfort, citizens, that even though the terrorists may kill you, the government won't know what you're doing.

Edmond the Hun

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow. it seems, edmund, that you are slowly realizing that society is screwed up in so many ways. oh well, that's why I'm going to the Alps! I need to pick out a mountain before other run-aways take them all.
-The Swedish Eskimo

Anonymous said...

Phone bugging is a concerning topic, and shouldn't be passed off lightly. It may seem like a necessary evil, but we need to at least have restrictions on it. I say this not because I don't understand the threat terrorists pose, but because I know what it's like to be in Italy, where it's estimated that almost every Italian citizen has been spyed upon or recorded during a phone call. The Italian government uses the information to keep the population under wraps. I also know the fears the Russians have simply in a public room, that anything could be monitored, screened, or recorded. The matter is delicate because of what it could do if it goes too far.

But this is my question: since when were Americans upset with what the CIA and NSA does? In a culture that adores James Bond and other spy thrillers, and a culture that has grown out of the ultimate spy era, the cold war, when did it become our business what necessary actions are taken to protect us? Who put this up to a vote? Besides, I would much rather find out that the government was spying on me or screening whatever information I passed than...say...virus producers, or indentity theives, or scam artists who only want my credit card number.

So this matter warrents much debate, and in the end, we must chose the middle road to avoid the fate of Stalinist Russia while allowing the government to fulfill it's role as our protector.

Anonymous said...

I shall be first in line to pick my mountain. I shall call it, Amanda Mountain, in remembrance of an old joke, in simpler times. (Thank you, Sam.)^^

I agree with Finien. I also think the gov. is stupid to announce all this stuff. Why don't they just bug everyone and have done with it? Now nothing will happen. Nothing EVER happens. That's partially why I like Star Wars--they totally mock the process of having people argue endlessly over trivial matters while the villains gain power. James wonders why the senators always automatically applaud Palpatine's speeches so I had to remind him that they are the Mindless Masses that are swayed by whoever says they will have Peace and Prosperity first (and forever). (Yeah I watched them recently...)

Enough fiction. Anyhu, boohoo, people still hate Bush, society is still stupid, and I'm still moving to the Alps. I will be the dictator of my few square feet of home. Yay. You guys are welcome to visit me periodically of course, when you realize how wise my course of action is. ;D
-Sanguine

Anonymous said...

Oooooo Six! pretty soon we'll be wearing caps and gowns, guys...
-The Swedish Eskimo

Anonymous said...

i wish mine could be purple. just because.
-sanguine

Anonymous said...

you could try to special-order one if you want.
-The Swedish Eskimo