If they say that it’s for terrorism, then it's ok- that is how we live today...

If they say that it’s for terrorism, then it's ok- that is how we live today. It is a shame to see a company like Verizon forced to hand over tons of data. What happened to Big Business sticking it to the Government? Like not paying taxes, hiring illegals- and shipping jobs overseas?

 Yeah, fuck you America- (in my Big Business voice).

Nope- they did a 360 degree turn on this one. According to Obama back in 2007, our civil liberties were the most important thing on his agenda. I am against these sorts of actions happening in our country for several reasons.

One, I believe in the people, but I do not think that a majority of people are informed enough to understand how important all this information is and what can be done with it.

And secondly, I do not trust our government.  They have a history of abusing power.   

Maybe we should all have thought about it before we accepted the internet into our homes- nothing but a military technology packaged up for civilians.

I’m not against all this because I have “something to hide”- But rather, because this is the opposite of freedom.  People are in an uproar over keeping their guns and repealing health care- but why the fuck aren’t they screaming to get rid of the PATRIOT ACT.

Why is collecting data so important for our government? Because the government can use this data to do a lot of things they shouldn’t do.  For example, they can gather information to identify and track certain groups of individuals that might share the same belief.  Maybe…. Track their location using GPS data, and their calls, and where they gather.  Doesn’t sound too bad if you are thinking “terrorist”, right?  But replace “terrorist” with something else- anything.  Replace it with “Civil rights activist” or “Jew” or “Someone who doesn’t think like us”.  Scary?

This is too much.  That is way too much information for the government to have on its citizens. The common position “I am doing nothing wrong, so who cares if they track me” is nothing more than apathy and ignorance.

I have seen what happens to organizations that stand out and really try to make change-  they get roadblocked. I have seen what happens to individuals like Martin Luther King, and JFK.  Assonated- for their beliefs, their thoughts, and letting people know there is a choice.

We have a choice- here right now. The next few years will be a huge turning point in our lives. Data will become an even bigger business than it is already is and more laws are going to be created to protect and use that data in anyway a company or government sees fit.  

While we sit on these digital soapboxes and share our lives with the world, we are being watched.

I know there are some of you that believe that there will be some revolution- sorry to be real with you- it isn’t coming. WE the People could not overthrow our Government.  

What did our government do with the data that they collected when Russia rang the phone about the Boston Bomber? They dropped the ball- they did not react and allowed a suspected terrorist to conduct a terrorist act.

I understand that we have to sacrifice some of our privacy- things that are not really private. Like when I am walking down the street in front of cameras- attending a sports event- or even shopping at the mall. They can watch me.

But collecting all of this data and storing it “just in case” is not a good reason to take away our rights. To some, this is something that should be done in the name of safety.

But what if freedom of expression became something that was connected to terrorism.  It’s happening all over the world.  Is that acceptable? What if every child was forced to wear a name tag that had a GPS in it? Is that acceptable?

My point is simple- get informed and stay informed. Of course America is safer. But I do not think that it is because personal data has been collected and stored.

And while I am writing this, we just got word that the Government is now tapping into 9 Internet companies. Microsoft, PalTalk, YouTube, AOL, Yahoo, Google, Apple, Skype, and Facebook.  They are providing video, text, audio- pretty much anything you do on your computer.  So now the NSA is all in our shit-

Yeah they know how many guns that you have if you took a picture and placed it online- that little teeny bopper site that you are following- now they have placed you in a category with other people engaging in the same behavior.

There is no reason for these types of actions. I was told once by someone that we were close to tyranny- shit, I think I am staring at it directly in the eyes…

Drones

Not only do I hate drones when I am playing Modern Warfare, but to imagine the police department, border patrol, and any other government agency using these things is upsetting. I can image little red dots surrounding us while we are attending a public event.  We are living in the age of digital espionage.

 Our government just said that they hacked into terrorist websites and did some rearranging of things. But many Americans have no clue that terrorist have the capability of hijacking these little toys and gather intelligence.

Would the founding fathers believe that this was acceptable? I would not. Of course there is the ideology that if you are not doing anything wrong that you do not have anything to hide. Yes I understand that, but when do we draw the line? When do we have a say in anything that goes on in our country?

Because a little drone flying over my head is an invasion of privacy. I am sure that if the terrorists could hack these little things, a 12 year old could do the same. It is rather sad that our society has turned into one that is so worried about who won America Idol that they have no clue on what is really going on.

Freedom is gone, vanishing, while our men and women that have vowed to serve and protect, toss their medals back. Veterans struggle to find employment, the media is in bed with the government, and big business can do whatever it wants.

This is not a conspiracy, this is reality. The government reads our tweets, Facebook posts, emails, and can even see what movies or books we are reading. This is not freedom, this is the opposite of freedom. This is control by law. Our current president has killed more people with drones, and created so many laws against his own citizens.

A Digital Police State is what we live in today. This information is not used just to sell products and services, but rather to have control over the people. While most of the country has engaged in the witch hunt because of Obama-care, the real issues should be our civil rights, and freedoms. They are gone.

Of course some may say that this is the price that we must pay for being a part of the digital age, but packet sniffing, reading emails, and developing viruses, is something that should not be allowed on the general public. Has any of this stopped the children of our country from getting kidnapped?  Has any of this information stopped a robbery or carjacking?  Of course not.

It is not us that they want to protect, but rather themselves and their goals. But a drone flying over our own skies is ridiculous, and unacceptable.  In Texas they plan to arm these drones, with tear gas, and rubber bullets. Oh great, this is wonderful.

This is how they play us. First they let us fly one in a video game, and then they want to introduce it to the public. Is the government really at war with its own citizens? And what is going to happen when one of these drones is hacked? Is the government going to deny responsibility for the lives lost?

See my argument or concern is simple, I post what I want on Facebook because I know that this is being viewed. I blog want I want because I know the laws and what is appropriate under the freedom of speech, but when I am being under surveillance while I might be eating with my family in my own home we have some serious issues.

We need to understand that fear is how we are being controlled, we are slowly losing any concept of freedom, and they are watching everything we do. And I mean everything- connected or not. Look above you- that little dot might be watching all your moves. How about they use these drones to deliver some food or water to the homeless people, or better yet keep them in the military…, or is this a war on American citizens and our freedom? 

No Mosque in My Hood

You are kidding me right? People all across America have decided that it is not in good taste to place a Mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero. Some say that it is some sort of sacred ground; well I think that the ground we walk on is sacred. Or is the elimination of the Native Americans not included in this sacred conversation? But once again the American citizens have showed the world what they do best- and that is to discriminate.

A land that was built on the concept of Freedom of Religion has decided that it wants to restrict the location of a religious facility. I wonder if the strippers that are also located two blocks down the street from Ground Zero have any issue with taking money from these future tourists that want to see the forbidden Mosque. But the strippers support the model of the new America, more money and more taxes- that is how we roll. I guess taxi drivers will not take paying customers to this new Mosque at all.

I have seen Mega churches take over farmland, while rich Christians make their Sunday trip to church to only forget the teachings from the ministers. I see news reports of Christians and Catholics that have molested children and pillaged money from the congregation to support their ultra-elite, ultra-holly lifestyles. So if you ask me America has a problem with religion as a whole and not just a Mosque being built in New York City next to Ground Zero.

Some argue that this mosque only acts as a tribute to the portrayers of 9/11. That is only if you have been feed all the lies by the media and think that all Muslims are some evil terrorist waiting to blow your silly ass up while sipping on a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Americans pay tribute to the terrorist act all the time. We have used drones to kill more innocent people than 10 times the amount of people killed on 9/11. We have fought wars that have been created by lies; we have propped up evil men across the world and put them in control to do the evil that we wanted but never would admit to.

But Americans, please think about the situation for what it is and not for what the media wants you to believe. They want to build a recreation center, and a mosque, they want a place to worship. This should be something that we all support no matter what type of religion is being worshipped in the building.

Like I always say, if you want to believe in a talking snake, and that all of the animals in the world could fit on one boat with out slaughtering each other then that is your business. But do not deny another individual to believe in what they want and hinder the development of productive members of society.