Who cares if the government spies on you?

Question

Only criminals in my mind. From the popularity of American idol, I would guess the desire to be famous and have the media put your life on the big screen is in the majority. The IRS, phone companies, ISPs and insurance companies have everything anyway. What else is there?

Answer 1

I'm surprised you are an Army man and feel this way!
This country was founded on FREEDOM!!!!
Why do you serve this great country if you don't believe in the fundamental rights of it's people??
Your assignment is to do a little soul searching.

Answer 2

I do! I'm not a criminal, and as one guy wrote, that is ONE reason I DO care! Gov't surveillance of ordinary citizens is the first step to a police state, and/or totalitarian regime (well, we already have much of that, what with Shrub & pals not being forced to answer for ANYTHING they've done!).

There's a HUGE difference between going on American Idol and having your phone tapped, being "flagged" at the airport because you protest (a Constitutional right, or at least it was), having your email and faxes harvested randomly, then being hauled off to Gitmo without being charged or represented by counsel...and kept there as long as they feel like it!

If you don't mind all those abuses, think about what the Dems would be like to all you neo-cons if THEY used the same liberties to spy on and discriminate against YOU! You'd be rabid.

Answer 3

The Constitution protects us from unwarranted government intrusion. I am sure that the framers of the Bill of Rights weren’t only interested in protecting criminals. The 4th Amendment’s “probable cause” requirement applies to innocent and guilty alike. “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects” would have included electronic surveillance if such methods had been available to the government in the 1700s.

Answer 4

The banks know all about us. Credit agencies track every transaction you do. Loan companies know all about your homes. Everything you do on the internet is tracked by various technological companies.

But we make it illegal for the government to spy on us. Why? Because we're afraid they'll find out that we're cheating on our taxes. If we changed the tax laws and went to a national consumption tax then there would be a lot less fear of governmental spying. In fact we'll be asking the government to do more to catch criminals.

Answer 5

I don't recognize the U.S. Government as my God and Savoir, so I really don't want them looking down my a$$ every hour of the day. Just take a gander through history, each and every time a government or otherwise ruling party has acquired too much power, it invariably always ended in with some sort of travesty causing several thousands and in some cases several million lives. I personally cannot remember in my lifetime one occasion where a government agency did something good for me or for someone I know. All I see is disaster after disaster and one failure followed by another. Don't get me wrong I'm not some unpatriotic bastard, I love the U.S. but I hate the Goddamned government.

-J.

Answer 6

I care if the gov't spies on me! However, I am not concerned with them monitoring international phone calls to suspected terrorist groups. Even then, they weren't listening, they were just data mining the phone numbers. Think about how many man hours would be needed to monitor the actual conversations from that volume of calls. I do care when the gov't spies illegally on its own citizens though. Your mentality allows Big Brother to get one step closer.

Answer 7

I take pride in being honest hard working and never lying, for personal gain( everyone lies to be nice and such, I'm only starting to learn that) Integrity will have NO meaning if it has to be watched. I choose to live as I do, not to have it thrust upon me. Whom would you trust, agenda driven politicians or honest men. Politicians would use the power to enthrone themselves. we know from history that once given power is often abused by government.


In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution T. Jefferson
It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself. T. Jefferson

Answer 8

Anyone who values liberty cares very much--and will not tolerate unbridled intrusions on themseles or their fellow citizens.
Individuals have the right to their privacy--and only would-be dictators and their supporterswould have it otherwise--or make claims that "only criminals, etc." object.

And--whether such people like it or not, the constitution prohibits them from indulging in such unAmerican activities.

Answer 9

It's not the good intentions of the government you have to worry about. It's about the fact that there might be a criminal element show up, or that they might just make a mistake.

Answer 10

I agree, I actually don't care who spies on me cause I don't have anything to hide. I mean there are some things I don't care to share with the public but if it came out it isn't a big deal. And it's like you said, the goverment is only a small part of the picture, I think those camera phones and the latest video craze is the worst.