I think most people simply don't care about gov't snooping until it's the news.. and then, if the one being 'snooped' looks like
they say to each other "Well, duh.. of course he was going to be snooped"..and they go about not caring any more..
I think when Obama had the American al-Awlaki killed many people had a gut check. I know I did. I thought about it.. I thought about what my reaction would have had it been Bush. I listened the lil mike in my head tell me if it had been Bush I'd be apoplectic over it.. I really did give it thought and I decided that I was OK with it no matter who did it. I just couldn't muster the outrage over it that I saw from the right and other liberals... But I'm also agree with the death penalty so maybe that has something to do with it.. I just kept thinking about what Bush said after 9/11.. his 'bullhorn moment'.. when he said..
"I can hear you!".... "The rest of the world hears you! And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon."and I simply didn't give a shit that this guy was American. To me, he gave up his rights as an American when he turned against his country the way he did....
Nutty, I get where you're coming from.. in fact, if it was a different time I'd probably be right there with you bitching and screaming.. but when I was thinking about the posting of kids/info the other day I really had to decide whether or not people give a shit any more about their privacy.. and if they don't, should I give a shit about their privacy.. and then BoH made a great point about us giving everything over to Big Business, so why should we care if Big Brother asks Big Business for a solid every now and then..
I don't know if it's technology.. I don't know if it's post 9/11 & pat act.. I don't know if it's just that it's been so long since we've seen a modern-day Hitler or Stalin who would use our ignorance of rights against us.. or is it obama-bashing fatigue..(not that you're bashing Obama, I get it's both sides you're bitching about)... but at this moment in time.. I just don't think the American people can muster enough irritation to stop the slide.. and as Chuck pointed out, the next big Boom will have them running for the hills signing their 1st born over to whomever promises to keep them safe the fastest.. and frankly, I don't put it past a secret-6 or whatever to set off a bomb in time square just to pass more right-killing bills..
I don't know what the future's going to look like.. but with all the information we give up freely already, it's going to be interesting that's for sure..
