"We don’t spy on Americans, just anti-government Americans"

Law enforcement intelligence-processing fusion centers have long come under attack for spying on Americans. The Arkansas director wanted to clarify the truth: centers only spies on some Americans – those who appear to be a threat to the government...

...After claiming that his office ‘absolutely’ does not spy on Americans, he proceeded to explain that this does not apply to those who could be interpreted as a ‘threat’ to national security. Davis said his office places its focus on international plots, “domestic terrorism and certain groups that are anti-government. We want to kind of take a look at that and receive that information.”

But the First Amendment allows for the freedom of speech and opinion, making it lawfully acceptable for Americans to express their grievances against the US government....

More at Source.


Mmmm-hmm. Yup, they are just targeting the bad guys, and we all know "If you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about," right?

The problem is the definitions of "right and wrong" seem to be getting a little hazy when it comes to the first amendment and criticizing the current admonistration. I mean, we have guys like this with govt power that want to "cognitively inifltrate" ATS to show us the error of our ways for criticizing the govt.

Are these the types of people that decide the difference between the good guys and the bad guys? Really?

Fact of the matter is, these issues shouldn't be getting "hazy" at all. They are crystal clear: the First Ammmendment allows each and every American to say whatever they like about the government, good bad or ugly. Period point blank. And its wrong to be spying on US domestics based on their (alleged) opinions of the government.

Ever get the feeling you are living in one of those "near future sci-fi" books from the 60s or 70s?

Proof right here that the number one threat to our society is statism. Statists are terrorists, and need to be treated as such.

Originally posted by silent thunder

Law enforcement intelligence-processing fusion centers have long come under attack for spying on Americans. The Arkansas director wanted to clarify the truth: centers only spies on some Americans – those who appear to be a threat to the government...

I'd personally feel a lot safer if Anonymous would release micro-detailed dossiers on the people in these fusion centers and the people in homeland insecurity. Who are these people? The documentation coming out of these groups reads like Orwell's "1984".

Mmmm-hmm. Yup, they are just targeting the bad guys, and we all know "If you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about," right?

The problem is the definitions of "right and wrong" seem to be getting a little hazy when it comes to the first amendment and criticizing the current admonistration. I mean, we have guys like this with govt power that want to "cognitively inifltrate" ATS to show us the error of our ways for criticizing the govt.

Are these the types of people that decide the difference between the good guys and the bad guys? Really?

I dunno how anyone could even bring up "right -vs- wrong" or "good guys -vs- bad guys".

This government has racketeered with Wall Street and the banksters to defraud the US and other nations out of trillions. This government has rubber stamped missile-drone murder, torture, theft and EO's that reinforce the notion that a coup has already occurred. This government commits crimes like it is standard-operating-procedure. Maybe ..... because it is?

Ever get the feeling you are living in one of those "near future sci-fi" books from the 60s or 70s?

Every day since 9/11/01.

A statement like that would have seen that sorry excuse for a public "servant" run clear out of any position of authority if he'd babbled a 1984 like statement like that before 9/11. Now? We yawn and barely notice.

What happened to the well justified outrage of the citizen spying and red files of the 1960's? They called it "Un-American Activities" then. Even had Congressional committees with that name with in the title for goodness sakes. The 70's saw some reckoning with the Church/Pike committees holding CIA's feet to a roaring bonfire. I always thought that was overblown and a bit counterproductive to national security to grill CIA that way. Now? I think they didn't do nearly ENOUGH and probably should have disbanded them outright. Formed a new one, perhaps, back to the basics of Intelligence Gathering?

Now...If only the CIA were our problem. They seem like a quaint and almost cute image of the nightmare we have today.

IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD STOP TALKING ABOUT KILLING US .... We might stop disliking them so strongly.

I remember reading a post outlining an email from DHS claiming that they view people who pay for hotel rooms with cash and own greater than 7 day supplies of food, among many other things, as "extreme right-wing potential domestic terrorists". Now adding that email in conjunction with this statement...... Doesnt that make a whole lot of people potentially "Anti Government" in their eyes?

Whoa, wait a sec..... I think i just saw a drone fly over my house...... Oh crap, someones pounding on my front door... I wonder who it is?

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
The 70's saw some reckoning with the Church/Pike committees holding CIA's feet to a roaring bonfire.

Do you remember the photos of the congressmen being shown the CIA's "heart attack gun"?

Kinda makes you ask: Who's feet were held to what fire?

reply to post by EricR

I was but a wee little guy looking forward to grade school when Church and Pike decided they were going to see about all these rumors regarding Government misdeeds. It's the first place I started when I began to get curious later in life though. Why not start right where some of the worst for the time was outright stated for the Congressional Record?

If ATS had a required reading list, the transcripts of some of those hearings would make it, I'd say.

One must wonder, in many of these cases, what would be the difference between the Watergate brake in and bugging with the bugging and break in of americans simply having contemporary "anti governement" views. Expecially when these outspoken views are really not "anti-governement" but anti policy.

In these cases it really is about the mechine having to much power and conducting a sort of political/domestic damage control.

reply to post by silent thunder


Awesome find, I have to ask you and everyone on ATS..... ARE YOU SUPRISED??? Prolly not I would assume though I know that the first three letters of Assume is usually what you are when you do, I feel confident that most of us have known this for a loooooooooooooooong time.

Define Threat to National Security? They could be listening in on some teenager who just blew a gasket and wanted to rant about the crap in America over COD2 wifi~

Shooooooot, this reminds me of....... Raiding a house for having Hydroponic Equipment and finding fruits and vegetables.....

What a bunch of A@#hats~

So let me get this straight.

If some guy is walking around saying hes going to blow up the Empire State Building, says he has the bomb making material, and has a date...you would think its inappropriate for federal officials to dig into his life because of his first amendment rights?

What about the rights of the thousands of people he may kill?

I guess the government should leave people like this alone. Kinda like they did with Timothy Mcveigh?

reply to post by Hopechest


Apples and Oranges, it's when they start digging into citizens that don't pose any threat, then invasion of privacy and the whole Amendment (rights) debate starts.

If you dumb enough to walk around saying that outloud or even on a cell phone, you deserve to get thrown in guantanimo~ Have fun with big BoB and his meat sandwich~

reply to post by sulaw


Its not apples and oranges. Do you really think the federal government has the resources to put 300 million people under surveillance or do you think they prioritize people who have said or done something that makes them a larger threat than the rest of society?

I'm sorry but if a government is not keeping an eye on what some extreme people are up to they are not doing their job of protecting society as a whole. I'm sure they have an entire file on me simply because of the kind of forums I hang out in and some of the comments I post and I would expect that.

If there weren't I would be mighty disappointed. Now do I see a black van parked outside my house or people in raincoats following me around?

Nope, but I'm also probably not considered a threat. Now if I were to make some outrageous claims about something I plan to do I would expect that to raise flags and stronger more appropriate action to begin. If my neighbor is saying he want's to build and release a chemical weapon in my neighborhood I fully expect the government to find out about it and smash down his door. Its for my protection and something I can't do on my own.

reply to post by sulaw


Its not apples and oranges. Do you really think the federal government has the resources to put 300 million people under surveillance or do you think they prioritize people who have said or done something that makes them a larger threat than the rest of society?

I'm sorry but if a government is not keeping an eye on what some extreme people are up to they are not doing their job of protecting society as a whole. I'm sure they have an entire file on me simply because of the kind of forums I hang out in and some of the comments I post and I would expect that.

If there weren't I would be mighty disappointed. Now do I see a black van parked outside my house or people in raincoats following me around?

Nope, but I'm also probably not considered a threat. Now if I were to make some outrageous claims about something I plan to do I would expect that to raise flags and stronger more appropriate action to begin. If my neighbor is saying he want's to build and release a chemical weapon in my neighborhood I fully expect the government to find out about it and smash down his door. Its for my protection and something I can't do on my own.

reply to post by Hopechest


You are on ATS. You are the threat, there is no room for Free Thoughts in a Enslaved world. If you think they haven't watched you and every American in this country you haven't been paying attention.

If there weren't I would be mighty disappointed. Now do I see a black van parked outside my house or people in raincoats following me around?

Now that's just silly, they don't need the Men in Black anymore or the Van. Satelites, Google Earth~

Nope, but I'm also probably not considered a threat. Now if I were to make some outrageous claims about something I plan to do I would expect that to raise flags and stronger more appropriate action to begin. If my neighbor is saying he want's to build and release a chemical weapon in my neighborhood I fully expect the government to find out about it and smash down his door. Its for my protection and something I can't do on my own.

You can smash down a door and stop him yourself, there's no doubt about that. You'll just get in trouble for unlawful entry, vandelism, and who know's what else the gov't and police would strap onto you.

I understand where your coming from, I mean no disrespect but I'm going to agree to disagree.

Cheers~

Originally posted by sulaw

Apples and Oranges, it's when they start digging into citizens that don't pose any threat, then invasion of privacy and the whole Amendment (rights) debate starts.

If you dumb enough to walk around saying that outloud or even on a cell phone, you deserve to get thrown in guantanimo .....

I'm dumb enough to think I still have the god-given right to say out loud: The (imperial?) federal government needs to be dissolved.

Yesterday is too late. The longer we wait, the more painful it will become. The longer we wait, the greater number of victims will be created.

reply to post by Hopechest


Lastly look at the title of the thread you just posted in. If you think there's freedom to search and type what you want on the internet w/o TPTB watching you, I'd be very very very amazed

Originally posted by sulaw
Satelites, Google Earth~

Explain to me how they use Google Earth.

Or do you mean the super secret google earth that is real time but only for the cia and fbi agents ?

Because the one we've got can't do bugger all given the archive nature of the imagery.

Also, you do know how many people visit ATS? And not all of them are from the US?

Not sure, I'll still settle for an explanation how they use google earth to spy on citizens from space.

reply to post by winofiend


If they can bust a man sitting in his car, smoking pot with a satelite. Then they can find whoever they want, whenever they want.

Super Secret.....

reply to post by hounddoghowlie


Game, Set, Match~

So who's not watching us exactly?

They've watched us since we were born, via SSN#'s our spending, our wants, our desire's~

It's delusional thinking that they haven't watched any of us. Or i'm on the safe side of the fence when "WE ARE THE ENEMY"