About the 'Terrorist Surveillance Program'

[Canuckistanian]

As I was reading ThomWV's excellent post here, it reminded me of a question I've been wondering about. I'd like to pose it to you.

How, exactly, has the knowledge that your government can spy on your every communication affected your actions? Do you do anything differently?

Do you think twice about the phrasing of your posts? The way you worded an email? Or did you ever just decide NOT to write that message at all because something made you say, "Hmmm, maybe I'd better not....".

Have you ever been careful about what you said on the telephone? Have you ever used a land line instead the cell phone for certain conversations? Arranged meetings just to avoid saying something over the phone altogether?

Do you ever wonder about the websites you visit or the purchases you made online? What if they were monitored? Is there a nagging little voice in the back of your head that says "Careful!"?

And you professionals out there. You doctors, lawyers, public servants and educators. Did you ever fear for the privacy of your clients or students?

And you political people who work on campaigns. Do you avoid using communication devices at all for certain conversations, knowing that the line is 'not secure' any more?

Now, it may be the case that you just don't give a damn. LET them hear what I have to say about them and oh, yeah, fuck you agent Mike. Or have you had the feeling all along that they've been routinely tapping phones since Nixon?

Now, I'm Canadian and I'm fairly confident that my government is not actively spying on me. I'm not 100% certain, but we still have a culture of fairness, justice and leaders who are not totally insane.

But living in the USA right now with this knowledge is something that would scare the willies out of me.

[rockymountaindem]

1. I'm not going to respond to this post because I don't want the wrong people to read it

:)

[Canuckistanian]

2. Oh, THANKS

Oh, you didn't mean me, did you?

[rockymountaindem]

3. Are you with *them*???

What are you doing here? Are you really Canadian? And what are you doing with those jumper cables?

[Canuckistanian]

10. A funny story

True, too.

A radio station once had a contest to complete this sentence, "As Canadian as......". You know, just like the saying, "As American as apple pie".

The contest winner was the phrase, "As Canadian as possible, under the circumstances."

[rockymountaindem]

13. As a graduate of the University of Toronto

I can totally see where that comes from.

[Canuckistanian]

15. It's a funny joke to Canadians

We've been wrestling with the question of what our national identity is for years. It's really kind of pathetic.

I went to U of T as well. A Scarborough College Dropout, I am.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. For all we know...

You are sitting in an NSA listening post up at the top of The Shield, posting here and eating Canadian Forces Freeze dried Poutine rations. ;-)

[Captain Angry]

5. Oh how I miss poutines.

Nothing warms you up for the day like a poutine when it's 40 below outside.

[Canuckistanian]

7. It's dehydrated poutine, if you must know

And what is that thing on your head right now?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. You mean...

My Burberry-trimmed Tin Foil hat?

Sadly, I am such a slave to fashion. I am experimenting with Chav paranoia.

[Captain Angry]

6. I do worry sometimes.

And it sucks.

[Canuckistanian]

9. But do you do anything different?

Do you ever wonder why people get put on no-fly lists? Is there some connection to an insignificant thing they typed in 1998?

That's what I'm wondering.

[Captain Angry]

11. I can't give my government that much credit.

The no-fly list has been used punitively, for minor stuff. I'm not aware of anybody that got nailed for something they typed. But I do know that some people have been kept off of flights for being anti-administration.

But when you can defeat a no-fly list by using your middle initial, there are bigger things to worry about.

[DogandPony]

12. It hasn't affected me at all.

Tall, big-boned, 265 pound, mean black women don't scare easy

[Canuckistanian]

14. Good for you

Me, I'd worry more about my career more than my physical safety.

These fuckers know how to ruin a person's life with shit like this.

[DogandPony]

16. Bastards!!!!!!!