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Knock, Knock, It's the FBI

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Tekzel:
Terrifying story - I don't know why anyone wants to live in the 'land of the free' any more.

Am I imagining it or does the US have laws on entrapment ? Surely the FBI should be in the next cell ?
-Carol Haynes (April 28, 2008, 06:14 AM)
--- End quote ---

We are definitely on a downward spiral, but I am hoping that will change with the next election.  I think I am going to commit a personal sin and vote Democrat if Obama is the nominee.  There is NO way I could bring myself to vote for Hillary, unless I was planning to kill myself afterward.  As distasteful as it is for me to vote Democrat, the Republicans need to be sent a message.  The folks responsible for the vile "patriot act", an un-American piece trash if ever there was one, need to be punished.  Of all the mistakes Bush has made, the crimes he has commited against the American public are the unforgivable ones. 

On the laws thing, the only people subject to laws are the population.  He or she who makes the rules, are not.  The government can do anything it wishes.  The days when our opinion matters is just about, if not already, over.  People can fool themselves if they like.  The bit above about me voting Democrat is just me satisfying myself, I am under no illusion that it will actual mean a damn thing.

mouser:
Tekzel, no politics here, it will open up a big can of worms if everyone starts talking about who they are voting for and why, etc.  it's one of the few subjects we've collectively agreed is better handled someplace other than this forum.

Carol Haynes:
Sorry mea culpa ....  :-[

Renegade:
Mouser, I hope you'll forgive me here. I'm only meaning to speak in abstract terms as technology relates to politics and hence, us in our real lives. Nothing about specific candidates...

I believe that technology can't be isolated from politics and that at times we need to address it if we're going to be responsible (in the capacity that we seem to be endeavoring here).

We are definitely on a downward spiral, but I am hoping that will change with the next election.
...
The folks responsible for the vile "patriot act", an un-American piece trash if ever there was one, need to be punished.
...
-Tekzel (April 28, 2008, 09:43 AM)
--- End quote ---

"Downward spiral" is being kind. Forget the militaristic and aggressive past/present/future of the USA, laws like those app103 brought up are very, very far beyond what the USA is supposed to represent. They are barbaric and border on tyranical.

They open up a can of worms... No. They don't open up a can of worms... Let me take that back. They open up Pandora's box. They lead to a very, very, seriously sinister place that we should never go.

The "Patriot Act" is similarly barbaric. It's far too open to "interpretation" and is dangerous in the hands of a government.

This kind of legislation in the hands of a bad government can only lead to bloodshed in the end. Whether that bloodshed is a twisted government shedding the blood of its citizenry, or a twisted government's citizenry shedding the blood of the government and the establishment, either way it's a bad thing. >:(

There is nothing wrong with killing tyrants or with violent opposition to evil (coming back to Godwin's law, "Would you kill Hitler?") The laws proposed go down a path that is far too open for evil to creep in.

Perhaps some may call me an alarmist, but a study of history should show that I have good reason for it.

Those that are skeptics should first do their readings. "The Prince" is a good primer for this topic.

Tekzel, I cannot agree more when you condemn those laws that are fundamentally "un-American". While I'm not a US citizen, I certainly have a lot of respect for that country. And certainly more respect for its people than its government, for obvious reasons.

I hope that I haven't crossed any unforgiveable boundry there mouser. If I'm right, I think you'll agree that 'in the abstract', we here as people in the technology sector need to be aware of these kinds of issues and need to make our voices heard when possible.

I'll shut up now. ;)

zridling:
Renegade makes a good point. Laws surrounding computer forensics in the US are also terrifying. For example, when the FBI comes to search your house and you erase/wipe your HD, that act is considered a guilty plea, similar to running from the cops. So that suspects who wipe their HD when they are suspected of downloading or sharing child porn are often convicted without any other evidence than they erasing their HD in a secure manner so that law enforcement can't recover the data.

This stuff truly freaks me out — and I have nothing to hide! (I just don't like snoops, period.)

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