Who Can It Be Now?

"Who can it be knocking at my door?  Go away, don't come round here no more." - Men at Work

Those lyrics may indeed apply to people's feelings about Jehovah's Witnesses, but I'm using it slightly differently here.  By now, everyone has heard about how the government is pulling information from cellular companies and internet providers, along with other sources.  The shock expressed in the media is amazing.  The reason it is amazing is because ... this is NOTHING NEW!!  

When 9-11 took place, new rules and regulations went into place with the idea that the public needed to sacrifice some rights and privacy for the safety of the country as a whole.  The creation of the Homeland Security agency, along with the increased power granted to the NSA was to give the authorities more and better ways to communicate and to track terrorists.  This took place over 10 years ago!

Now people are finding out that the government is doing just what it said it was going to do, and they are blaming it on President Obama.  Again, I've got news for you ... he's just using what the public allowed him to use.  Frankly, all of this makes me scratch my head, because I'm not sure why people are so upset.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't like the idea of anyone tracking me or reading my mail or listening to my phone calls.  (But if they do, I'm sure that whoever is listening is stunned into silence by the sheer boredom involved.)  The reason I'm surprised is that the voters of this country made the choice of sacrificing certain liberties for the sake of protection.  What did you expect?  This is the choice you made when you elected your representatives.

If you go to London, look up on the street lamps and the buildings around you.  London must have one of the most extensive video camera systems in the world.  The police, MI-5, and other agencies use these cameras for a variety of reasons.  And the people accept them, because they were willing to give up their anonymity for the sake of what they saw as security.  That was their choice.

My point is this: any and all security measures that people find so shocking could only have been put in place with the willingness, apathy, or blindness of the people of this country.  It didn't happen without some form of discussion among those elected to run the government.  So, folks, deal with it.  Either accept it, or do something about it.  Just don't sound so shocked.