Thursday, January 11, 2007

You've Got Mail

5 comments:

Laura said...

I don't know what everyone's so worried about. I mean, if you've got nothing to hide then what's the problem. It's not like we really NEED those civil liberties anymore, right? We're free already! ;)

{sigh}

Sadie Lou said...

Just out of curiousity, let's say there was this huge sleeper cell hiding out in LA (this is straight out of 24) and the government found out about it and stopped a terrorist attack on the airport because they found something in their outgoing mail--would you still be pissed at the methods or would you be relieved that the attack was stopped? Especially since your family was flying back from Disneyland that day.
;)

CyberKitten said...

Saidie - There's an ever so small difference between reading suspected terrorists e-mail (after getting a court order based on some reasonable evidence for grounds of suspicion) and just reading *everyone's* e-mails just on the off-chance that they *might* be doing something dirty.......

dbackdad said...

CK -- Well said.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." -- It's a quaint little document we like to call the "Constitution". I have no problem with searches done through proper channels. The President's authority alone is not "probable cause". If we abandon the Constitution, we might as well not be a democracy any more.

If you want 100% security, live in an authoritarian police state. As the Right likes to say, "freedom isn't free". This quote sums it up(often attributed to Franklin but probably not his): "He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither."

Laura said...

The more I hear about 24 the more I just don't like that show. Lately, I downright loathe it. It may be a gripping drama, but it's just fearmongering... This is coming from someone (me) who's friend's father believed everything he saw on the X-Files... Just think of how many people think that every week the CIA is foiling some nearly-succeeded terrorist plot! Gimme a break.

Anyway, yes. If there is evidence to support a search warrant (which is really very minimal, circumstantial evidence will often suffice) then search away. But never forget the basis of our freedom: innocent until proven guilty, not "throw them in Gitmo and see if they talk"...