Thanks for the several comments about my comment. I upvoted quite a few, because they made thoughtful points. I appreciate thoughtful discussion of public policy issues, especially from people who disagree with me, because that helps me learn more about the world.
Some of the thoughtful points brought up in discussion of my parent comment of course address important issues that I didn't discuss at length in the parent comment. I should make clear that I fully agree with everyone here that if the common people of the United States (or of any other country) don't work together zealously and with mental toughness and solidarity to defend basic civil rights, then we are all hosed. I've seen one country's transformation from stark dictatorship to democracy and rule by law first-hand,[1] and that experience makes me very eager indeed never to see the United States slide into dictatorship. Similarly, I'd be happy to see the "tyranny of the Taliban"[2] reported on by the Guardian newspaper (the same newspaper that is the source for the article we are all discussing here) fall everywhere, and never return. People who have the dictatorial impulse try to spread their control as far as they can reach, and it takes concerted action to fight for and maintain freedom, which is why I frequently recommend that my fellow Hacker News participants study the writings of the Albert Einstein Institution,[3] based on the experiences of people power movements that have overthrown dictatorships.
Simply put, I am one of many Americans who has not only participated in public protests about NSA activities in view of my local police and TV cameras,[4] and I will continue to decry and protest about interference of my freedom or my family's freedom by anyone. Along the way, I am trying to engage in what one thoughtful comment described as discussions around "threat mitigation and risk mitigation," to understand better what private actions on my own part, what governmental actions by my government, and what actions by other actors will best maximize your freedom and mine.
Some of the thoughtful points brought up in discussion of my parent comment of course address important issues that I didn't discuss at length in the parent comment. I should make clear that I fully agree with everyone here that if the common people of the United States (or of any other country) don't work together zealously and with mental toughness and solidarity to defend basic civil rights, then we are all hosed. I've seen one country's transformation from stark dictatorship to democracy and rule by law first-hand,[1] and that experience makes me very eager indeed never to see the United States slide into dictatorship. Similarly, I'd be happy to see the "tyranny of the Taliban"[2] reported on by the Guardian newspaper (the same newspaper that is the source for the article we are all discussing here) fall everywhere, and never return. People who have the dictatorial impulse try to spread their control as far as they can reach, and it takes concerted action to fight for and maintain freedom, which is why I frequently recommend that my fellow Hacker News participants study the writings of the Albert Einstein Institution,[3] based on the experiences of people power movements that have overthrown dictatorships.
Simply put, I am one of many Americans who has not only participated in public protests about NSA activities in view of my local police and TV cameras,[4] and I will continue to decry and protest about interference of my freedom or my family's freedom by anyone. Along the way, I am trying to engage in what one thoughtful comment described as discussions around "threat mitigation and risk mitigation," to understand better what private actions on my own part, what governmental actions by my government, and what actions by other actors will best maximize your freedom and mine.
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5985720
[2] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/nov/18/terrorism.afgha...
[3] http://www.aeinstein.org/downloads/
[4] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5992149