Click Here to Read John Whitehead's Commentary
So what you are saying, in essence, is that we are really REQUIRED to answer the very instrusive questions in this survey, or risk losing our home and our freedom if we don't? To me, this is not freedom, as you have indicated, if only certain people face this risk, and not the population as a whole. Somehow, also, I don't believe for a minute that people are randomly picked. This year, once again, our oldest daughter (49) and her fifteen year old multi-racial daughter moved in with us. We also have a small trailer in Florida, which we are trying to sell, but have spent part of every winter for the past couple of years out of the state in which we live. So all of a sudden, a daughter who receives state benefits, with a non-white child, and we who have worked part-time until this spring, are being asked these very intrusive questions.
I also, contacted our state representatives, of course to no avail. I had never heard of these surveys until this year, as has no one else I have talked to--so why do they keep this quiet, if it is so legal and necessary? We have had many stressors in our lives in the past few years, and now I am losing sleep over this--it definitely is Big Brother watching, especially when you hear that laptops from census takers have gone missing, etc. If I sound angry, I am angry beyond belief--this sounds like a conspiracy of some kind, and I am usually not a conspiracy theorist.
In the on-line research I have done, apparently 45% of the people who receive these do not respond--what happens to these people? Sounds like we could be subjected to harassment of various kinds--also the threat that hangs over us sounds very, very 1984ish to me.
B. Meyers
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
GPS and the Police State We Inhabit: Living in Oceania
Click Here to Read John Whitehead's Commentary
Very interesting and thorough. You might add "Facebook", but I don't know much about that.
J. McVickar
Great article as usual John.
Yup, big brother is watching (inevitably), pity the government is not a big brother.
Rather we are suspects, guilty until proven innocent.
What better way to control the masses other than make them feel vaguely guilty of something (real or imagined) all the time.
I've now been living in the USA for 10 years (legally), working hard, paying tax, jumping through every hoop presented before me.
Yet, this is the way I am slowly, incrementally learning to think and feel - I am a suspect.
Welcome to the land of the free and the home of the brave.
America has definitely seen better days.
J. Grounds
Dear Mr. Whitehead,
The two most disturbing aspects of what you write are: 1. Liberals, conservatives, democrats, and republicans are all on board with the government having this power, and 2. The mainstream media will cheerleader this with the most annoying cliche --- well, if you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about.
Let's face it Mr. Whirehead, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, in reality, have been reduced to documents under glass. They are to be seen, and admired, but totally ignored by what passes for justice (sic) in early 21st century America.
And, as I tell my friends and associates, most of whom are rabid Faux News enthusiasts, if one is waiting for political salvation from the GOP, or the dems for that matter, they will be sorely disappointed.
Best regards,
B. Gentile
Sir:
Your article describes perfectly one of the reasons that I refuse to get a cell phone. Another reason is that cell phones can be turned on remotely to enable the police and others to monitor your conversations, even when you are not using the phone. The only way to stop this is to remove the battery.
C. Browne
It is much worse than just tracking your location via GPS.
Cell phones can be used as bugging devices to monitor your (non-telephone) conversations, and the U.S. government routinely does this.
There was a court case brought by a known mafioso to try to stop the government from listening in on people's conversations.
The government prevailed (no surprise).
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/12/remotely_eavesd_1.html
http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/your-cell-phone-can-be-used-to-eavesdrop-on-you-even-when-turned-off/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G1fNjK9SXg
H.
John,
While I agree with the Oceania allusions, you are way off in blaming technology. Technology is a tool. The criminals are those who (mis)use it. What you're doing is tantamount to blaming guns for shootings.
You will never stop the thought police by stripping them of some of their tools. The tools do not matter. There were no cell phones and GPS in 1984's Oceania.
M. Turner
Hi John,
Just read your recent essay at LRC. I can assure you, we already live in Oceania, our rights are violated on a daily basis for prolonged periods of time. Government is out of control, they are creating problems where no problems should exist. I don't think this will end well.
The intrusions are far more insidious than you suggest and somehow we have to fight back and halt this monster.
Sincerely,
M. Porter
Hi
In the words of the late Harry Browne. He said " there may a camera in every room but it won't work".
It seems to me that we have arrived at that point. The morons in charge may have access to data but they can't make it work. Too much, the cameras break, the lenses show unclear images, bureaucrats and bureaucracies are systemically lazy on top of that.
Our only real defense is the ineptitude of those behind the cameras.
Despite all of the satellites and radios and heavy artillery and airplanes and helicoptors and high powered weapons we are unable to defeat a bunch of Afghani's and Iraqi's with AK47's and RPG's. My explanation for this is that they are not incompetent and we are.
Funny stuff.
All the best.
J. Harrison
Very interesting and thorough. You might add "Facebook", but I don't know much about that.
J. McVickar
Great article as usual John.
Yup, big brother is watching (inevitably), pity the government is not a big brother.
Rather we are suspects, guilty until proven innocent.
What better way to control the masses other than make them feel vaguely guilty of something (real or imagined) all the time.
I've now been living in the USA for 10 years (legally), working hard, paying tax, jumping through every hoop presented before me.
Yet, this is the way I am slowly, incrementally learning to think and feel - I am a suspect.
Welcome to the land of the free and the home of the brave.
America has definitely seen better days.
J. Grounds
Dear Mr. Whitehead,
The two most disturbing aspects of what you write are: 1. Liberals, conservatives, democrats, and republicans are all on board with the government having this power, and 2. The mainstream media will cheerleader this with the most annoying cliche --- well, if you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about.
Let's face it Mr. Whirehead, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, in reality, have been reduced to documents under glass. They are to be seen, and admired, but totally ignored by what passes for justice (sic) in early 21st century America.
And, as I tell my friends and associates, most of whom are rabid Faux News enthusiasts, if one is waiting for political salvation from the GOP, or the dems for that matter, they will be sorely disappointed.
Best regards,
B. Gentile
Sir:
Your article describes perfectly one of the reasons that I refuse to get a cell phone. Another reason is that cell phones can be turned on remotely to enable the police and others to monitor your conversations, even when you are not using the phone. The only way to stop this is to remove the battery.
C. Browne
It is much worse than just tracking your location via GPS.
Cell phones can be used as bugging devices to monitor your (non-telephone) conversations, and the U.S. government routinely does this.
There was a court case brought by a known mafioso to try to stop the government from listening in on people's conversations.
The government prevailed (no surprise).
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/12/remotely_eavesd_1.html
http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/your-cell-phone-can-be-used-to-eavesdrop-on-you-even-when-turned-off/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G1fNjK9SXg
H.
John,
While I agree with the Oceania allusions, you are way off in blaming technology. Technology is a tool. The criminals are those who (mis)use it. What you're doing is tantamount to blaming guns for shootings.
You will never stop the thought police by stripping them of some of their tools. The tools do not matter. There were no cell phones and GPS in 1984's Oceania.
M. Turner
Hi John,
Just read your recent essay at LRC. I can assure you, we already live in Oceania, our rights are violated on a daily basis for prolonged periods of time. Government is out of control, they are creating problems where no problems should exist. I don't think this will end well.
The intrusions are far more insidious than you suggest and somehow we have to fight back and halt this monster.
Sincerely,
M. Porter
Hi
In the words of the late Harry Browne. He said " there may a camera in every room but it won't work".
It seems to me that we have arrived at that point. The morons in charge may have access to data but they can't make it work. Too much, the cameras break, the lenses show unclear images, bureaucrats and bureaucracies are systemically lazy on top of that.
Our only real defense is the ineptitude of those behind the cameras.
Despite all of the satellites and radios and heavy artillery and airplanes and helicoptors and high powered weapons we are unable to defeat a bunch of Afghani's and Iraqi's with AK47's and RPG's. My explanation for this is that they are not incompetent and we are.
Funny stuff.
All the best.
J. Harrison
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