I suppose these are now my opinions - they've developed over the last ten or so years as we've learned just how entrenched these supposedly controlled agencies are. The FISA court is described as rubber-stamping warrants etc. Read the news!
Your assertion that the NSA can't collect data about American Citizens would be great if it were true. There are pretty convincing arguments that they aren't abiding by at least the spirit of the law and that their lawyers are actively engaged in weasel-wording away the restrictions. I'm sorry but collecting the meta-data of American citizens is still collecting data (meta is a sub-class).
You've got a pretty strong opinion of the agency ... I'm guessing that you work for the PsyOps division. Or perhaps you're just a youngin' who hasn't been around the block quite enough times. And don't get me wrong - I've had a great life as a U.S. citizen. I gained my political awareness during the Reagan presidency and was at that point very proud of everything my country did - I didn't know how much was happening outside the view of the TV screen that I wouldn't be proud of - or how many other parts of our history could be questioned.
I'm certainly not advocating anything beyond having exactly this kind of discussion. It's not my fault that the NSA, CIA and U.S Government are viewed so negatively - they have the reputation that they deserve. I can understand why the rest of the world hates us but I hope we can decide to change our behavior.
> Your assertion that the NSA can't collect data about American Citizens would be great if it were true.
NSA is not allowed to intercept communications of American citizens. I should have been more explicit about that. I am simply trying to add context to what I believe is an erroneous perception that the NSA is a building full of gunslinging unchecked hackers that gleefully eschew US law so that they can... do what exactly?
> You've got a pretty strong opinion of the agency ... I'm guessing that you work for the PsyOps division. Or perhaps you're just a youngin' who hasn't been around the block quite enough times.
LOL. What does it say that you'd assume anyone who has a non-negative opinion of NSA is either working for them, or young and misinformed? Sorry to disappoint, but I am neither. I simply respect the truth, and misinformation regarding the US intelligence community is a cancerous detriment to the long-term personal safety of Americans. This is why I asked for references for your claims. But if you take nothing else away from our exchange other than the understanding that NSA is military, I'm happy.
> I'm certainly not advocating anything beyond having exactly this kind of discussion.
Good. I'm glad. See how it only takes a simple challenging of one's opinions to go from "I hope the NSA gets shut down" to "let's have a discussion?"
Your assertion that the NSA can't collect data about American Citizens would be great if it were true. There are pretty convincing arguments that they aren't abiding by at least the spirit of the law and that their lawyers are actively engaged in weasel-wording away the restrictions. I'm sorry but collecting the meta-data of American citizens is still collecting data (meta is a sub-class).
You've got a pretty strong opinion of the agency ... I'm guessing that you work for the PsyOps division. Or perhaps you're just a youngin' who hasn't been around the block quite enough times. And don't get me wrong - I've had a great life as a U.S. citizen. I gained my political awareness during the Reagan presidency and was at that point very proud of everything my country did - I didn't know how much was happening outside the view of the TV screen that I wouldn't be proud of - or how many other parts of our history could be questioned.
I'm certainly not advocating anything beyond having exactly this kind of discussion. It's not my fault that the NSA, CIA and U.S Government are viewed so negatively - they have the reputation that they deserve. I can understand why the rest of the world hates us but I hope we can decide to change our behavior.