PrismmmMMMMmmmm, good! NOT!

What has the US done that is worst than what places like China, Russia, Venezuela, and even my home country of Ecuador have done in terms of individual rights? Looking at your internet history? Listening in to your cell phone conversations? I don't fully justify PRISM and I feel that the public should be concerned about it and demand answers from the government. At the same time, I don't feel like cell phones and the internet are completely secure.

I think when stories like this happen, people lose perspective. Russia and China would be asking the same thing if it was one of their people that was leaking classified information. Actually, Snowden would be dead by now if he had been a Chinese or Russian who was leaking classified information. Even if he gets captured by US authorities, nothing will happen to Snowden, except life in jail. If the US did not execute Aldrich Ames or Robert Hanssen, who did far worst things in terms of disclosing classified information.

What timing.

Exclusive: Documents Illuminate Ecuador's Spying Practices (http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/exclusive-documents-illuminate-ecuadors-spying-practices)

What timing.

Exclusive: Documents Illuminate Ecuador's Spying Practices (http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/exclusive-documents-illuminate-ecuadors-spying-practices)

I am not surprised.

Use of Tor and e-mail crypto could increase chances that NSA keeps your data (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/06/use-of-tor-and-e-mail-crypto-could-increase-chances-that-nsa-keeps-your-data/)

Using online anonymity services such as Tor or sending encrypted e-mail and instant messages are grounds for US-based communications to be retained by the National Security Agency even when they're collected inadvertently, according to a secret government document published Thursday.

The document, titled Minimization Procedures Used by the National Security Agency in Connection with Acquisitions of Foreign Intelligence, is the latest bombshell leak to be dropped by UK-based newspaper The Guardian. It and a second, top-secret document detail the circumstances in which data collected on US persons under foreign intelligence authority must be destroyed or can be retained. The memos outline procedures NSA analysts must follow to ensure they stay within the mandate of minimizing data collected on US citizens and residents.

And in the event that an intercepted communication is later deemed to be from a US person, the requirement to promptly destroy the material may be suspended in a variety of circumstances. Among the exceptions are "communications that are enciphered or reasonably believed to contain secret meaning, and sufficient duration may consist of any period of time during which encrypted material is subject to, or of use in, cryptanalysis."
Other conditions under which intercepted US communications may be retained include when it is "reasonably believed to contain evidence of a crime that has been, is being, or is about to be committed."
The document, dated July 28, 2009, bears the signature of US Attorney General Eric Holder.


Obvious to some of us, but the article should be of interest to anyone still waiting for the damn season to start.

George W. Bush Defends PRISM: 'I Put That Program In Place To Protect The Country' (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/george-bush-prism_n_3528249.html)

George W. Bush Defends PRISM: 'I Put That Program In Place To Protect The Country' (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/george-bush-prism_n_3528249.html)




:laughing-


When asked if he is a traitor, Bush said, "I know he damaged the country."


How can these people even sleep at night knowing they sold out the very thing they swore to uphold. The real traitors are the individuals passing laws such as the Patriot Act, and sending our country into wars that it has no business in. Call them out on their bullshit.....and seemingly you are the "unpatriotic" one or the traitor. Amazing the hypocrisy of our shit government.

How can these people even sleep at night knowing they sold out the very thing they swore to uphold. The real traitors are the individuals passing laws such as the Patriot Act, and sending our country into wars that it has no business in. Call them out on their bullshit.....and seemingly you are the "unpatriotic" one or the traitor. Amazing the hypocrisy of our shit government.

People don't put things in perspective and are too easily distracted by the scandal of the day, such as PRISM now. Not to say that PRISM isn't a big deal, but what do you expect out of our government, when we have a citizenry that can't even get the government to be accountable for doing their jobs on the economy, health care, and education.

PRISM and the Patriot Act are good examples of issues that people are very passionate about, yet no one has had a serious debate on maybe changing the foreign policy of this nation to avoid having to worry so much about terrorism. Our nation's blind support for Israel, the constant involvement in the oil industry, and the pointless wars we've been involved in the Middle East are three reasons why people over there hate us. Yet no one ever discuss these things because they are too preoccupied with whatever political carrot is being dangled by politicians or the media.

Well hey, at least we have gay marriage and pot to worry about.

Our nation's blind support for Israel....

The only successful democracy in the ME and we give them too much support?

Discuss further?

People don't put things in perspective and are too easily distracted by the scandal of the day, such as PRISM now. Not to say that PRISM isn't a big deal, but what do you expect out of our government, when we have a citizenry that can't even get the government to be accountable for doing their jobs on the economy, health care, and education.

PRISM and the Patriot Act are good examples of issues that people are very passionate about, yet no one has had a serious debate on maybe changing the foreign policy of this nation to avoid having to worry so much about terrorism. Our nation's blind support for Israel, the constant involvement in the oil industry, and the pointless wars we've been involved in the Middle East are three reasons why people over there hate us. Yet no one ever discuss these things because they are too preoccupied with whatever political carrot is being dangled by politicians or the media.

I don't necessarily agree with the rest of what you wrote, but I couldn't agree more with that

I agree with SS.

On Ruhskins' point about "pointless" wars. One word: OIL. We only have ever cared about the Middle East and Northern Africa because of it. It got us in this mess a long time ago and 70 years of bad (perhaps distasteful is a better word) decisions later it has us boxed in.