Spying on the Homefront

[cindianna_jones]

This past week, Frontline presented a program titled "Spying on the Homefront".  If you missed it, you can catch it here:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/homefront/

I encourage you all to take a look or at least browse some of the material.  It is a real eye opener.

Our beloved government is spying on we the public with impunity and without court order.

Cindi

[LostInTime]

Like they have been doing at least since the 40s. Does not make it right but it never seems to end and with the technology, more invasive.

[Doc]

They are also encouraging people to spy on each other.

I was actually visited, at home, by the FBI, who came to investigate the subversive material posted on my refrigerator, which was seen by one of the people who came to give me an estimate on a new furnace. The FBI guy said, "Since the administration has asked Americans to be extra-vigilant, they have." Or extra-silly, in my particular case. The FBI guy seemed a little embarrassed about it.

[cindianna_jones]

They are also encouraging people to spy on each other.

I was actually visited, at home, by the FBI, who came to investigate the subversive material posted on my refrigerator, which was seen by one of the people who came to give me an estimate on a new furnace. The FBI guy said, "Since the administration has asked Americans to be extra-vigilant, they have." Or extra-silly, in my particular case. The FBI guy seemed a little embarrassed about it.

You have to be kidding me!  Without being explicit, can you give us some idea 'bout what's on your fridge?

Cindi

[Doc]

I kid you not. But everybody says that.

Oh, lets get explicit. I have a picture of Osama Bin Laden on my fridge. It's the same picture of Osama Bin Laden everybody's seen a thousand times, it's the black and white one that's on the FBI's own 'Wanted' poster of him. It was actually mailed to my home by the Bush administration, printed on a bit of 'look how well we are doing in this War on Terror' propaganda. So I cut it out and stuck it on the fridge. Mixed in with a bunch of postcards and cartoons and family photos. (At this point in the story, people either think that's perfectly reasonable or they are offended and demand to know why I'd do such a thing. I did it for obtuse and deep artistic reasons and for a laugh, so the only appropriate answer is, "Because it amused me." I didn't do it because I love Osama Bin Laden.) So, none of my family and friends think anything of this picture, but in October I've got a lot of people coming in giving estimates for a furnace. In January the FBI and a county sheriff's deputy knock on my door and the FBI-guy says that Americans are being extra-vigilent and somebody said I had stuff around that made me seem like I might be a 'terrorist sympathizer' and that I had 'weapons.' I was stunned to laughter, 'cause when I let them in I was sure they were gonna tell me that they'd found the corpse of the woman next door out just past the Kansas border, her boyfriend is kinda creepy. Anyway, I said all I had was this picture and a machete and the FBI guy mutters, "all mixed in with the family photos," like he's quoting somebody. They didn't say they wanted to look at my fridge door and my machete, but it was really obvious that those things were what they expected to see, and they left happy. Later I called the paper about it and posted about it on an email list which caused a radio-guy to ask me for an interview, but the newspaper reporter never responded and the radio guy lost interest when I told him I wasn't angry with the FBI. The law-enforcement guys were very polite and pleasant to deal with, really, and I feel kinda bad for them. All that training and hassle to get a job where you think you can protect people, and you're investigating some funny-lookin' guy-girl's fridge door, I figure those two guys had it worse than I did.

[Squirrel]

You have got to be kidding Doc.  Really?  This is just too crazy.

S

[Doc]

Honest and truely, and Wasn't-Allowed-In-The-Boy-Scout's Honor, Squirrel.

Oops. I neglected one of the best parts in my retelling of this amusing tale -- the guy actually said to me, "Do you want to harm America?"

[Hazumu]

Oops. I neglected one of the best parts in my retelling of this amusing tale -- the guy actually said to me, "Do you want to harm America?"

It's a required question, along with:

"Are you now, or have you ever been?"

-K

[Thundra]

18 months. Get out now, if you can, while you can.

Once he declares martial law, it is all over. No more Susan's, no more airline flights in or out, do not pass go, but make sure you have your papers in order.

If any of y'all have plans to go across either pond for surgeries, get the hell out asap, because you will not get to go once the s*&^ hits the fan. That is when they start rounding all of the "deviants" up as a possible threat to homeland security.

I am not being paranoid. I am remembering history, and this is a friggin' repeat. Last time they blamed the jews. This time they are going after the "sexual deviants." Get out if you can. I am not going anywhere. I am going to fight.

[Squirrel]

18 months. Get out now, if you can, while you can.

Once he declares martial law, it is all over. No more Susan's, no more airline flights in or out, do not pass go, but make sure you have your papers in order.

If any of y'all have plans to go across either pond for surgeries, get the hell out asap, because you will not get to go once the s*&^ hits the fan. That is when they start rounding all of the "deviants" up as a possible threat to homeland security.

I am not being paranoid. I am remembering history, and this is a friggin' repeat. Last time they blamed the jews. This time they are going after the "sexual deviants." Get out if you can. I am not going anywhere. I am going to fight.

I hear "oh, that could never happen here."  And then it does.  You know what Thundra?  I don't think that you are very far from reality.  It really could happen.  We shall see in the coming few months if they continue to back him.  I saw some encouraging progress against him this week with the immigration bill.  I'm not against an immigration bill mind you... but they stood up to him.  Some of the good ole boys in his own playground.

Let's see how long "Li'l Bush" stays on the air.  That may be the probing tell don'tchya think?

S

[RebeccaFog]

18 months. Get out now, if you can, while you can.

Once he declares martial law, it is all over. No more Susan's, no more airline flights in or out, do not pass go, but make sure you have your papers in order.

    If that smelly peahead tries anything like that, I think that a big chunk of the general population will go Stonewall on his sorry crunchy backside.
    Many people in power in his administration are finally acting out of conscience like the Guatanamo judges.

[Doc]

    If that smelly peahead tries anything like that, I think that a big chunk of the general population will go Stonewall on his sorry crunchy backside.   

I think you're right, Rebecca. I certainly hope you're right.

Though really, the most disturbing thing about my visit from the FBI was not that the FBI showed up at my door but how very many people responded to my telling the tale on various internet forums not with amusement or outrage, but with angry demands that I explain why I would put a picture of OBL on my fridge, or self-righteous opining that I deserved worse for this hideous unAmerican breach of fridge-decor protocol, or kindly-meant pats onna head and explainations of how such behavior really is frightening and suspicious* and must be investigated.

Then again, I did also get a fair bit of support, outrage and bemusement. And a small group of people who have posted, "Things to do today: Harm America" on their own refrigerators. So far as I know, none of them have been visited by the FBI, in spite of such a post-it being far less ambiguous than the picture.

*And okay, yeah, I suppose it might just be frightening and suspicious if you're in a frightened and suspicious mindset. It's just not cause for an investigation. If I had a copy of that sun-lotion add with the little girl in a bikini with a dog pulling down her panties posted next to a peice of soft-porn, that might make people wonder if I'm a pedarest. But if they called the cops about it, the cops would laugh and tell them to mind their own business, not show up asking, "Do you want to screw kindergardeners?"

[RebeccaFog]

    If that smelly peahead tries anything like that, I think that a big chunk of the general population will go Stonewall on his sorry crunchy backside.   

I think you're right, Rebecca. I certainly hope you're right.

Hi Doc,

   Do you hope I'm right about the population going Stonewall, or that the peahead's sorry backside is crunchy?

   Your answer will reveal much about you. It will also alert me as to whether I should initiate another visit to you from the FBI.         


   Seriously, though, other people must be held accountable for enabling nonpresident whacko. Some departments and individuals who carry out his will need to be closely examined and punished. Most of the things that have happened, should not have happened. I often wonder what kind of fool would actually carry out his orders. If it were me, I would make pretend I was doing something he asked, then come back and pretend it all went according to plan.

[cindianna_jones]

You know it's funny Doc, but I didn't give it a second thought.  I have no idea why you'd post a pic on your fridge... but it doesn't bother me that you did.  

Cindi

[RebeccaFog]

You know it's funny Doc, but I didn't give it a second thought.  I have no idea why you'd post a pic on your fridge... but it doesn't bother me that you did. 

Cindi

   You know. The more I think about it, the more it bothers me.  You never told us if that picture was posted on the inside or the outside of the refrigerator door. If it was on the inside, that would indicate that you had something to hide.
   Well? which is it? Your future as a free citizen depends upon your answer.


(I'm sorry that I'm being goofy. Just tell me to stop if you're not in the mood)

[Doc]

Hehe. Rebecca: Stonewall. And it's on the outside. I do have something to hide, though. I recently took it down 'cause the plumber was coming. It was up since after the FBI visited. I offered to give it to them as evidence, but they didn't want it.

Sure, Cindi. Having read a few of your posts, I just don't get the impression that you'd be all that interested in my fridge decor. Except maybe the little picture of the dour-faced 19th century woman with the quote-caption, "Vulgarity. My maternal aunt and her second husband succumbed to vugarity. I understand it is a threat to many others who have good jobs and are not criminals."

[Thundra]

If that smelly peahead tries anything like that, I think that a big chunk of the general population will go Stonewall on his sorry crunchy backside.

That would be wonderful were it true, but the country is full of boneheads. The emperor has no clothes! He has the ultimate trump card. Fear. Stupid people respond to fear without thinking. Fear of terrorism, fear of queers, fear of losing their job to an illegal alien, and on and on.

These guys are pro's. They know that when they are ready, they have only to play one segment of society against another. The country will fall like a house of cards. Seriously.

All that is left to do is to decide what you will do when it happens. It is already as certain as the sunrise tomorrow.