Contrary to popular belief, and as upsetting as the notion is that the government proposes to use drones for domestic surveillance, the government isn't that interested in you. You probably aren't important, rich, or dangerous enough for them to notice you. They don't even seem bothered by shootings in Aurora, CO or bother to act about the shooter in Oak Creek WI even though they tracked him for a decade.
So many people out there are trying to get noticed. We want attractive ladies to see us, employers to pick us, game shows to feature us, and our families to love us. A sad few even resort to extremes and follow the route taken by Hiltons and Kardashians, selling their lives for a mess of pottage albeit an expensive one. The government has bigger problems to deal with like Romney's income taxes and how to make sure that a sufficient number of dogs and zombies make it to the polls to ensure a second term for Obama. They are too busy to mess with most folks, no matter how much Glenn Beck foments at the mouth about how they're coming for you. They don't know you. They couldn't care less.
The fact of the matter is that government only pays attention to you if you give them sufficient reason to. Aside from ECHELON and other programs that skim your online activities for certain website hits, certain associations, and certain key words, they have far too many people of whom to keep track. In fact, it doesn't seem to bother them that Huma Weiner has ties to security threats (she has a clearance) or whether Obama actually is a citizen (He has the highest clearance for a civilian). They're probably using that equipment like Tommy Lee Jones does in Men in Black to track down and watch women they once loved and lost.
The only times the government has been interested in me are when I have done things that are suspicious, typed certain keywords, or applied for a clearance. In graduate school, for research purposes I procured some materials and used a machine that are automatic triggers because of how they can be misused outside higher education for dangerous purposes. I've purposely typed and said things hoping to distract the NSA (like mentioning ECHELON, which I am fairsure triggers them scanning this article). I mostly do it to annoy them. As for a clearance, well, let's say that DHS wishes I'd never applied for a job there and that I'm still waiting for adjudication of my file even after a Congressional inquiry over four years ago. Otherwise they largely leave you alone. You're just not that important. Not yet.
Even during the Revolution, only two Americans were villainous enough to secure permanent death warrants. John Hancock and Samuel Adams were never to be forgiven under any circumstances. Both of them had a long history of sedition and riotous outcry, and so it stands to reason that Britain might not want to forgive them. The rest, even Benedict Arnold, were welcome back into the Empire. It takes a great deal more than most people are willing to do to sacrifice that card. Plus, they have bigger plans than some Chemistry professor with a blog...
No comments:
Post a Comment