Constant's pations

If it's more than 30 minutes old, it's not news. It's a blog.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Americans are afraid of reality

The ACLU lawsuit tells us many things about the insecurity of Americans. The United States was based on the idea of a free exchange of ideas. In light of the NSA spying, we realize that America isn't afraid of open warfare or terrorism, it's afraid of people picking up a pen and saying the truth.

A nation which cannot face reality is in no position to provide leadership to find solutions, much less achieve results.

America has little credibility when it comes to leadership, merely standing on the laurels of what was won after WWII. It's taken 60 years for America to face reality -- and accept it is no different than the enemy if fought in Europe: Nazi Germany.



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[ For your convenience, there is an NSA Hearing Archive; Click here to read other content in the NSA Hearing Archive.]

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ACLU lawsuit against NSA. But what's more amazing -- the NYT reports essentially all of the infromation was garbage. Why don't they shut down the NSA, and send the FBI to the sanitation department: Rather than creating a mess, the FBI Special Agent in Charge of evidence might be able to do somethign productive besides giving excuses for sitting on their rear end.

NSA's non-sense retort is, "Do you have anything better?" Sure: How about quit terrorizing your personnel with the weenies in Q2 and let people do their jobs. But most of all, why not simply let America's actions speak for itself -- let the rule of law, justice, and our values speak through actions and results, not simply mindless prattle you recite during your oath of office. If your oath of office to your Constittion means something, explain to yourself -- your family -- why you're doing what you're doing. Don't talk to them about a paycheck, standard of living, or a mortgage -- that's the same non-sense the Nazis used to justify their arrogant disregard for human rights. You in the NSA are no different. You sweep up volumes of information, but the real problem -- this nation's conduct -- your conduct -- incites hatred and contempt, not just on foreign shores, but at home. You have no regard for the oath you take, nor the laws you swear to uphold. Rather, you shut down new ideas, willing to stay stuck with what is contrary to our principles. Fine, but don't be surprised why other nations dare choose a different path. Your only solution is to threaten those who dare choose A, when you choose B, with adverse consequences. Americans are idiots.

1. People are using the electronic methods to communicate. The Constitution was written before electronic communications. The goal was to permit people to peacefully assemble so that they could discuss issues and share ideas. The NSA program has stifled a free exchange of ideas, increased costs, and materially impacted the ability to discuss issues.

What’s interesting is all the focuse on “other people” – while the real problem has been inside the executive branch. Where is the “big surveillance system” that the congress uses to monitor the Executive. “Oh, we can’t do that – checks and balances are not applied to the other branches, only to the citizenry.” That is backward!

Recall Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 – the fireman, whose job was to burn books was the one who was reading the books at home. How many in the NSA are discussing the very things they are tasked to monitor others.

It will be interesting to see the actual transcripts of the NSA employees gleaned from other surveillance methods – to find out they were gleefully discussing subjects others were getting tortured over. It will be interesting to find which specific NSA intercept data was used as the basis to detain, torture, and kill people – it will be interesting to see which information was reviewed, who initiated it, and which orders went from the NSA to other individuals in the CIA, special forces, or DoJ.

One of the ideas behind having a constitution is so that people can freely exchange ideas, and the clash of ideas would produce a better result. This is how debates in Congress and the adversarial system are supposed to work in the Court. Perhaps it is time to ensure that this adversarial system be mandated in the Executive Branch. In light of the NSA spying, people are afraid to speak – it will be interesting to learn which studies, bills, legislation, and testimony was false, altered, or retracted out of fear of monitoring. It remains to be understood how many CIA officials working in Academia were able to produce better reports or papers because they stole the work/ideas of their peers before publication.

It is interesting to note that the NSA had several dozen violations of the law, but DoJ decided not to prosecute, going so far as to suppress information Bamford had been provided.

2. The nature of the communications is interesting. Not only are lawyers communicating with clients, but it remains to be understood why -- despite the apparent monitoring -- prosecutors were unable to convict people. It remains to be understood to what extent the judicial process has been corrupted. But why stop there -- how has NSA intercept information been forwarded to RNC-lobbyists so that bills could be developed; or positions presented on the basis of false evidence.

It seems interesting that not only was NSA monitoring, but the fruit of that transmission could have been provided to advocates who then realized, the only way they could prevail was to provide false arguments and evidence. It seems interesting if we could explore the issue: How many of the executive branch decisions were made on the basis of false information directly related to getting a heads of up of the more credible position of others.

3. In a broad sense, the ACLU lawsuit represents the full circle. Not only have the legal community's clients come under surveillance with absurd charges under the Patriot Act, but now the legal community is directly threatened. Their livelihoods are at stake -- billing time can only be gained if they can keep clients communicating. It's interesting the NSA program which was well known for many years didn't get much interest until the lawyers were personally affected. Yet, what is to be said of the original claims of the clients. Indeed, NSA monitoring is unlawful -- but let's not forget the important grievances of their clients. Whether those clients have frivolous or weak cases is another matter. The Americans must put their money where their mouth is: Permit all people to bring their claims to court, not stifle them with silence, or rebuff their concerns using non-sense as arrogant law enforcement in America does. Remember what the lawyers did when they discovered John Yoo -- architect of the legal "justifications" for this non-sense -- the lawyers complained to the public, but didn't complain to those who could do something about the problem. That's not leadership and deserves a rebuke against the ABA for failing to ensure it's membership was willing to put its money where its mouth was. It's one thing to have an oath about principles -- quite another to take action to assert that oath. American lawyers appear to only move when their personal intersts are at risk or at stake. How many lawyers have to be locked up before they get off their rear end about this non-sense in America? Ah, the unfavorable weather has not bee convienent, so we'll have to hope someone else does that. Lazy lawyers! You went to school to learn this, but where are you? Nowhere, hiding, afraid. Have some backbone!

4. But let's consider the substantive issues which the NSA program monitors. Many people in the ACLU complaint have asserted they are unable to get information. It will be interesting to see if there can be some studies on which topics were suddenly taboo -- not just the general topics, but the details. Indeed, the details may be gossip or trivial matters, but that is not for the court to decide nor the public to judge. The communications are intended to be private; and the possibility that they are public or monitored stifles the free exchange of ideas. It is interesting that not only is the White House shutting itself off from other views, but the NSA program is essentially doing the same to the rest of the world. Because one idiot-psychopath in the White House cannot stand criticism is not reason the rest of the world should be silent about what is self-evident: We have an idiot in the White House. Yes, it should be well known that for saying what is self-evident, the arrogant Americans dare to monitor those who see reality. Americans show that they are afraid of those who can see. America is afraid, and such a culture cannot survive unless it is willing to be proud for what it is, not afraid because it is different.

5. It remains to be seen what specific information will trigger NSA monitoring. If there are views that people are unwilling to share, then I would hope they simply continue sharing those despite their fear. For example, if America is deemed to be tyrannical, unreliable, and a cess pool of toxic stupidity -- then it should be the right of people to say so, and for America to choose whether it wants to change.

6. It is curious that the NSA program was well known prior to 9-11. Whether America chooses to review the 9-11 Commission Report or the official statements remains to be seen. But it seems clear that the NSA program did provide before 9-11 direct information which the White House failed to credibly respond to. It seems surprising that the NSA program was monitoring what journalists were talking about, but failed to heed the warnings related to terrorism. That doesn't make sense. We would hope the Committee carefully review the disparity in the NSA approach, and get the White House to explain why they were keen to monitor those who dared use their mind, but would have us believe they "didn't bother" or "had no idea" about those who could actually do physical harm. If this is the case, we take great pleasure in knowing that one's key strokes are deemed to be a greater threat to the mental stability of those who monitor, as opposed to the turn of a bomb switch. In order to prevail over the weak minded and insecure Americans one need not plant explosives or threaten open warfare -- one simply need to say the truth. Americans are afraid of reality, and they wonder why they are openly mocked. Scared little animals, with weak egoes -- they prove to be small minded in their inability to stand on their own right -- only able to prevail if they bully others to parrot non-sense and false loyalty.

8. Thus, perhaps it is time to give a voice to those who are afraid. Let the world know -- America is a cess pool of insecure people. They spew out propaganda in their media. In truth, Americans are foolish, naive, and arrogant. They are not all that intelligence. Their leadership gains loyalty through deception, lies, and manipulation. But their leaders are not gods. As you look at an American -- know they are not to be trusted. They will lie all the time. They fear nothing when it comes to the court because they believe they can intimidate others to be silent, retract their claims. Law enforcement and those in the criminal justice system are especially weak minded -- they enjoy rebuffing complaints, lying about why they should not be accountable for their lies. And the American government -- their workers are lazy, ignorant, and not all that intelligent. These are the people we are asked to pay homage to and show respect. They are fools -- they know it, and their only solution is to gossip, get others to rally against those who dare see reality. America is about bullying, attacking those who dare see the in competency, fraud, and violations of the law. America is about looking at the law and doing what they can to violate those laws. America's government and law enforcement are lazy, not all that bright, and the citizens must know the statutes and standards of conduct better than those they pay and give salaries to -- because the lazy, ignorant people in law enforcement do not know the statues, rules of evidence, or how to make a simple logical argument. A free citizenry must know the jobs better than those in law enforcement merely to get them to get off their rear end, throw away their coffee cup, and stop eating their sugar rolls. If you want to know what America is all about -- simply look at the rules, ethics, and codes of conduct: America is about violating all those standards, then bullying others to smile saying, "Oh, yes == Americans are wonderful." Gag! Americans are lazy, unreliable and criminals. Never trust them. Take your business elsewhere. You are encouraged never to negotiate with Americans or conduct any business in America. Go elsewhere -- to places where people are not liars, where the rule of law means something, and the people dare admire those who can see straight.

9. America is a myth. It is based on threats, abuse, and non-sense. The rule of law exists to threaten the workers -- and the leadership uses lawyers to avoid accountability. They lie all the time -- and they will attack anyone who sees the truth as it is.

10. America is fascist, and does not deserve to compel any citizen or nation to believe otherwise.

11. Rather than pledging allegiance to the flag, there should be a new pledge which all people pledge:

I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, and to the Declaration of Independence. One nation, with an indivisible Constitution, with liberty and justice for all.


The American Stars and Strips flag should be burned! And we should have waving above all our buildings -- the Flag of the American Constitution. That is our symbol.

12. What is most curious is the hypocrisy. Some speaking out – feigning shock over the NSA monitoring – have also engaged in domestic surveillance. Those who whine over the NSA monitoring, but post personal information – unobtainable from open sources – have no credibility. You have no credibility when you blog about the NSA program, but you post people’s IP numbers. And you have no credibility when you whine about the NSA program, but refuse to discontinue posting personal information that is not publicly known. You’re a hypocrite, especially when you refuse to discuss with others your actions – only asserting it as a right. You have no credibility, and may your many readers never realize your hypocrisy – so that they may remain as deluded as you. Those who post personal information on IP address – things that others have not given you permission to disclose -- deserve to have their cell phone and private phone records posted – tit for tat. You can’t whine about “privacy” – nor do you have any credibility when you assert wrongdoing in the NSA -- when you don’t respect the privacy of others. Maybe they’ll have another begathon for money, threatening to withhold services unless they get a payout. Those who threaten to stop doing something unless they get something else do not command respect – they aren’t really doing it because they love it – they’re doing it because they’re stupid Americans – only willing to intimidate, threaten, and scream louder than their shadow. Yawn.

You may have an IP, but now the world has your cell phone record. Maybe you should stop posting IP numbers and we’ll stop posting your cell phone records. Curious what happens to a phone record, who reads it, and who gets stopped from entering national parks. If you don’t let people move freely, then you – as a private citizen – cannot compel others to respect a similar “right” of yours to travel and photograph in public spaces.

Tit for tat. I know where you live, your phone number, and your IP address. Your problem – you don’t know who else knows it, what they’re doing with it, or why you cant do what you want. Curious, how those roadblocks keep popping up. But there’s a lot more you’re going to find out the hard way. Have a bad day.