Information Per La Bellezza del Giorno.

Civil disobedience has long been a hallmark of American politics.  It has been interesting to watch the nation come to grips with Edward Snowden, the twenty nine year old whistleblower who disclosed the extent of the massive surveillance of American citizens by the National Security Agency (NSA).  The debate has been raging among the talking heads and politicians alike whether he is a patriot or a traitor.   Their reactions have been chilling.

Start with the Patriot Act which is the basis of this massive collection of information. It was sold to the public claiming it would only be used to monitor incoming calls from suspected terrorists.  In addition, it was to be monitored by a FISA Court.  These are secret courts established under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.  The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appoints sitting Federal judges to FISA Court positions to issue subpoenas in support of actions by the various intelligence agencies.   To date, about 98% of all requests have been granted, including the quarterly renewal of the subpoena under which the NSA monitors all telephone calls, texts, emails, internet searches particularly within the Verizon system, and most likely all communication systems. 

The reaction by those in the intelligence community, Republican and Democratic congressmen and senators alike fains disgust with Mr. Snowden.  Those who sit on congressional intelligence committees of both houses call him a traitor claiming he has irreparably compromised American intelligence operations.     Those who work for the intelligence agencies and former agency directors and Justice Department officials have looked positively scary.  One gentlemen looked so angry I thought he was going to have a stroke.

That begs the question as to whether gathering information relating to my emails, my telephone calls, my web searches, my texts is constitutional when I am neither a suspect nor participant in subversive activities.  What do they need my information for?  In what way am I connected to a terrorist in Pakistan?

This is a fishing expedition on steroids.  All of that information is being gathered not for la bellezza del giorno (Italian for “the beauty of the day!”) as my grandmother used to say.   They gather it, store it, and will use it for something.  What?

The Fourth Amendment reads as follows:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

There must be an oath describing both the place AND PERSONS.  Does the population of the United States meet that definition?  On its face, no!!!  The fourth amendment was set up specifically to prevent blanket searches and seizures. There must be specificity.  There must be more than conjecture. There is nothing different here than British soldiers going from house to house, rummaging through drawers and closets and basements, looking for traitors to the British crown.

The Obama administration has played fast and loose with the Constitution for the past five years.  Its representatives have lied to Congress.   They have lied to the American people.  Although the surveillance was started under George Bush, the expansion to this has taken place under Obama.  There is no excuse for either. 

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This intrusion of Big Brother on the American public is such an affront to the Constitution it is beyond comprehension.  If ever there was a case for civil disobedience to awaken the public and a compliant press, this is it. 

I don’t buy for one minute that the government watching who I call, how many times I call, or looking at my web searches or emails, bolsters national security one iota.  This is a bridge too far.  It is the stuff of of Nazis and Communists. 

I don’t know the motivations of Edward Snowden.  His connection with the Chinese is fishy.  But the fact remains that nobody else had the guts to tell the public the truth…especially those appearing in front of Congress and lying.  So for that, I am grateful. 
 

America, wake up.  Distrust of the government is reaching dangerous levels.  Do we have to rely on a 29 year old high school drop out for the truth about what these people are doing?  In what way does monitoring my calls make this country more secure?  When someone provides me with an answer, then I will be quiet.  In the meantime, we need more Edward Snowden’s.