Look, I suck. I get that.

[JohnnyRingo]

211. I don't think you completely understand...

I don't know how old you are, but back in the '80s I was a member of the ACLU. What spurred me to join then was my UAW concern that companies were beginning to do random drug testing. I felt the practice was an opening for companies to do "fishing expeditions" on workers they didn't like. (me?)

I think we all know how that court battle went, but it wasn't the only thing on the ACLU's plate back then. It was the decade when we all realized that those fancy new cordless phones we were using were broadcasting our private calls to anyone with a common police scanner. The ACLU took up the fight to prevent police from being able to listen in when we weren't already suspected of a crime.

I didn't pay that much attention to the case, but I recall a court decision at the time ruled that no one should expect undue privacy when they're purposely broadcasting their signal through the airwaves like a small radio station. Police scanners and phone frequencies were changed to prevent our neighbors from listening in, but the signal remains accessible to anyone with a specialized receiver.

These days I have to wonder if using a wi-fi or 4G connection to broadcast your conversation is any different legally. You have to wonder why no one seems interested in taking the whole matter to court. Do you think it's because there's no chance of winning on account of the previous ruling? I'm no lawyer, and I don't follow it like you are, but I don't see anything effective currently proceeding through the legal system.

Regardless, those who believe their civil rights are being violated, should help out by joining either the ACLU or the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Taking these cases to court requires money much more than blasting out an indignant and ignorant post on DU. If you (and Manny) really are seeing this as one of the most important issues we face today, then you should put you hearts and money into it. Otherwise it's just sad to hear people crying about something when they're unwilling to do anything material about it.

The base of the word activism is active, and don't try telling me that you're working tirelessly "getting the word out", because no one outside the DUniverse is listening. (Well, maybe the NSA too- LOL)

https://www.aclu.org/

https://www.eff.org/

You should at least go to those sites now to see where they are on NSA surveillance and find out how you can help ...or you can wait to see if a hopeful president Warren or Sanders rides in on a white horse in 2016 and does all the heavy lifting for you. I already know what I'd do.