I think the NSA fans would feel safer if we brought back this system......

[Logical]

BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!!!

[villager]

1. If that system was launched under this administation, they'd defend it to the end

n/t

[Logical]

3. +1000! nt

[KittyWampus]

2. Who are these "NSA Fans" of which you speak? The overwhelming majority of posters on DU

are not NSA Fans.

But erect that strawman so you can whack him good!

[Logical]

4. So there are none? That is your claim? nt

[treestar]

5. No.

And I'm an NSA fan if that means accepting the fact it exists by law.

I'm also an SEC fan and an EPA fan.

I really love the FBI. If it weren't for them, people could commit federal crimes with impunity.

[Logical]

8. I am glad the NSA makes you feel safer! nt

[treestar]

13. I didn't say it does

make me feel any safer. Like most people, the odds make me safe. The idea the planes are out there to head off terrorist attacks isn't what does it - as they couldn't on 911.

Though I doubt we could do without it. What makes you think any country would go without a security apparatus? Hatred of the NSA is as silly as hatred of the EPA is my point. Surely you wouldn't think the EPA ever does anything wrong? What if a whistleblower found them going beyond the range of the laws?

[frazzled]

6. The "Be Afraid" crowd

is actually on the Snowden side. They ought to have a color-coded alert system to warn citizens of NSA risks:

SEVERE
The NSA has a camera in your pants

HIGH
The NSA has the ability to turn your iPhone on

ELEVATED
Significant risk that the NSA has found a phone link in Yemen

GUARDED
General risk of spying from NSA

LOW
The NSA is collecting bulk phone metadata

The scare tactics are childish and, to date, pretty unfounded. Many are based on what the NSA (and by extension, almost any other sophisticated tech operation) is "capable" of doing. Not that they've done anything harmful, mind you ... just that they have the capability, according to a high-school dropout.

[Logical]

7. No, the people hating Snowden think he risked our national....

Security and the NSA was needed! You are not really paying attention.

[frazzled]

10. Not very "Logical"

Throwing around "people hating Snowden" and "NSA lovers" is really eighth-grade-level name calling.

How about if I say People loving Snowden hate the idea of government? You buying? People can dish it out but can't take the least little criticism of their own positions. You gotta love it.

Frankly, what you need to know is that vast swaths of the American public really don't give a shit about any of this. And if you can't recognize the paranoia and related fear-mongering among the Snowdenistas, you're not paying attention.

[yallerdawg]

12. ...sophisticated tech operation...

like Google, my search engine, my internet provider, Amazon, Walmart, some guys in Russia, some more guys in China, the stranger copying my keystrokes, the guy in the parked car recording my mall transactions, the guy watching me through my webcam, my cell phone company, moderators at websites and blogs...and all these people selling this information to other corporations, data miners, sales people, marketers...on and on and on.

And it is my government I should be afraid of?

[SidDithers]

9. Leave Comrade Eddie alone!!11!1...nt

Sid

[LanternWaste]

11. I used to trivialize people who's opinions were different than mine by using crafted back-handed

I used to trivialize people who's opinions were different than mine by using crafted back-handed compliments too.

My reasons was because I lacked the courage in my youth to directly state what I meant, but I imagine you'd use a different justification for doing so.

[Logical]

14. I will strive to be more like you! nt