The Vanity and Probable Insanity of Writing Publicly- The Sunday Collage
It's not often that I get the urge to criticize myself, but this has been one of those weeks.
The problem. The government spies on us. This is not "with cause" spying. This is just downright big brother type of stuff. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-08/nsas-boundless-informant-collects-3-billion-intelligence-pieces-us-computer-networks
Essentially all the government has to show is that you are responsible for any type of "terroristic" threat- that speech is not protected. Therefore you and anyone you contact are now eaves dropping targets. So when Kenny over at Knuckledraggin says, "Fuck Obama!" some government pinhead can say that Kenny has threatened the Prez and he is a potential terrorist. His communication and anyone reading it all become susceptible to eavesdropping or other intercepted speech. Farfetched? Not at all.
This is the NSA whistleblower. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance
I am a proud member of the disposable class. Translated more accurately, this means that I have nothing to lose while speaking my truth. In other words- I am liable to say anything I want at any moment.
That's why I started writing. What I didn't understand, and that's the naivete' of people like me, is that our society is so fractured and fragmented that we can't even agree on the basics. For instance, I assumed (incorrectly, obviously) that most people understood that the amendments to the Constitution were not fucking suggestions. They were placed there specifically- to avoid the death and destruction that would occur when some future governance tried to take them away. It was our job as citizens and patriots to protect them for future generations. We had a guardian role.
Not true. Most would be guardians are unaware of the assignment.
People all over the internet gave a collective sigh to our government this week- a government which accesses and seizes any communication that they so desire- and does not have to employ due process, procedure, nor do they even have to tell you that they seized your information. No receipt or inventory- not even a note from those people that take your money every month.
That government routinely breaks any law that applies to us- is not a mystery. What is a mystery to me is the non-chalance and apathy of an American people that seemingly do not care.
So on Thursday, I put together a petition which demands that the government stop violating our Constitutional rights. Our individual rights. After posting it at 10 or so places, and asking 200 friends on Facebook to sign it- the petition has garnered about 100 signatures. Less than 1% of my Facebook "friends" signed it. It was probably available to view by no less than 10,000 people. (By the way, Rand Paul introduced a bill on Friday in the Senate demanding the very same thing)
It's hard to rationalize that level of apathy and this is where my ability to scrutinize myself pays off. I get that some people don't like me, don't like my style, or think I am a whack a doo. I understand that some folks just aren't going to sign because they don't agree with me or even like me- or that they are too lazy. I'm ok with that. I also understand those people who say it's all a waste of time or they are afraid of disclosing some personal info that the government already has access to anyway.
But 99% of you?? Are you kidding me??
No wonder the government just bends us over the table. The government just takes our money and bribes us with it. Breaks any law they want. What's stopping them? The 99% of you who won't take the time to sign a petition?
If you won't even sign a harmless petition demanding basic Constitutional rights- why in the hell are members of the disposable class defending you? Why would one soldier put his boots on the ground anywhere to defend any of those 99%? Why indeed?
That's a damn good question- and I'm not sure I can answer it. Huffpo ran a media piece the other day where even the media was shocked at the apathy of people regarding the Patriot Act. Nobody cares.
This is what I know for sure. Nobody has ever increased their readership by ridiculing the people who read them. I understand that. I understand that I am not Tolstoy or Royko and that people are not required to agree with me like the statist writers on Huffington Post and their minions of "moderators."
But 99% of you?
One day in the future our people are going to need those rights that you are giving away today- and they won't have them. They'll be wage slaves who will eventually have to rebel and kill their leaders to get their freedom back. That's been the way of history and it rhymes- although I'll bet about 99% of folks don't think it can happen.
For me, I have to question my motives. If I know 99% of the people could care less- why am I or any other bloggers, writing publicly? What's the point? Are we simply vain? Do we think our opinions and thoughts matter more than anyone else's? Maybe I'm just dense. I'd probably be better off posting jokes, manly stuff, witty sayings, and porno. Like my friends Irish and Wirecutter. I go to their sites everyday and they get thousands of hits per day- maybe even 10,000 or more.
I used to have a friend who would always yell, "Give 'em what they want!" He's a very successful, rich, and retired salesman. Gave people what they wanted and screwed them out of a whole bunch of money. None of those customers of his ever seemed to care or complain. Most paid full bore sticker price, traded in their used car for chump change, and financed the purchase two or three points higher than any competitive interest rate. Somewhere in all of that insanity of giving what is yours away, there's a lesson for those of us who just don't get it.
Last chance and thank you if you do. https://www.change.org/petitions/the-united-states-government-the-national-security-agency-stop-the-routine-seizure-of-phone-records-without-cause-or-due-process
The problem. The government spies on us. This is not "with cause" spying. This is just downright big brother type of stuff. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-08/nsas-boundless-informant-collects-3-billion-intelligence-pieces-us-computer-networks
Essentially all the government has to show is that you are responsible for any type of "terroristic" threat- that speech is not protected. Therefore you and anyone you contact are now eaves dropping targets. So when Kenny over at Knuckledraggin says, "Fuck Obama!" some government pinhead can say that Kenny has threatened the Prez and he is a potential terrorist. His communication and anyone reading it all become susceptible to eavesdropping or other intercepted speech. Farfetched? Not at all.
This is the NSA whistleblower. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance
I am a proud member of the disposable class. Translated more accurately, this means that I have nothing to lose while speaking my truth. In other words- I am liable to say anything I want at any moment.
That's why I started writing. What I didn't understand, and that's the naivete' of people like me, is that our society is so fractured and fragmented that we can't even agree on the basics. For instance, I assumed (incorrectly, obviously) that most people understood that the amendments to the Constitution were not fucking suggestions. They were placed there specifically- to avoid the death and destruction that would occur when some future governance tried to take them away. It was our job as citizens and patriots to protect them for future generations. We had a guardian role.
Not true. Most would be guardians are unaware of the assignment.
People all over the internet gave a collective sigh to our government this week- a government which accesses and seizes any communication that they so desire- and does not have to employ due process, procedure, nor do they even have to tell you that they seized your information. No receipt or inventory- not even a note from those people that take your money every month.
That government routinely breaks any law that applies to us- is not a mystery. What is a mystery to me is the non-chalance and apathy of an American people that seemingly do not care.
So on Thursday, I put together a petition which demands that the government stop violating our Constitutional rights. Our individual rights. After posting it at 10 or so places, and asking 200 friends on Facebook to sign it- the petition has garnered about 100 signatures. Less than 1% of my Facebook "friends" signed it. It was probably available to view by no less than 10,000 people. (By the way, Rand Paul introduced a bill on Friday in the Senate demanding the very same thing)
It's hard to rationalize that level of apathy and this is where my ability to scrutinize myself pays off. I get that some people don't like me, don't like my style, or think I am a whack a doo. I understand that some folks just aren't going to sign because they don't agree with me or even like me- or that they are too lazy. I'm ok with that. I also understand those people who say it's all a waste of time or they are afraid of disclosing some personal info that the government already has access to anyway.
But 99% of you?? Are you kidding me??
No wonder the government just bends us over the table. The government just takes our money and bribes us with it. Breaks any law they want. What's stopping them? The 99% of you who won't take the time to sign a petition?
If you won't even sign a harmless petition demanding basic Constitutional rights- why in the hell are members of the disposable class defending you? Why would one soldier put his boots on the ground anywhere to defend any of those 99%? Why indeed?
That's a damn good question- and I'm not sure I can answer it. Huffpo ran a media piece the other day where even the media was shocked at the apathy of people regarding the Patriot Act. Nobody cares.
This is what I know for sure. Nobody has ever increased their readership by ridiculing the people who read them. I understand that. I understand that I am not Tolstoy or Royko and that people are not required to agree with me like the statist writers on Huffington Post and their minions of "moderators."
But 99% of you?
One day in the future our people are going to need those rights that you are giving away today- and they won't have them. They'll be wage slaves who will eventually have to rebel and kill their leaders to get their freedom back. That's been the way of history and it rhymes- although I'll bet about 99% of folks don't think it can happen.
For me, I have to question my motives. If I know 99% of the people could care less- why am I or any other bloggers, writing publicly? What's the point? Are we simply vain? Do we think our opinions and thoughts matter more than anyone else's? Maybe I'm just dense. I'd probably be better off posting jokes, manly stuff, witty sayings, and porno. Like my friends Irish and Wirecutter. I go to their sites everyday and they get thousands of hits per day- maybe even 10,000 or more.
I used to have a friend who would always yell, "Give 'em what they want!" He's a very successful, rich, and retired salesman. Gave people what they wanted and screwed them out of a whole bunch of money. None of those customers of his ever seemed to care or complain. Most paid full bore sticker price, traded in their used car for chump change, and financed the purchase two or three points higher than any competitive interest rate. Somewhere in all of that insanity of giving what is yours away, there's a lesson for those of us who just don't get it.
Last chance and thank you if you do. https://www.change.org/petitions/the-united-states-government-the-national-security-agency-stop-the-routine-seizure-of-phone-records-without-cause-or-due-process
Comments
Cannot fig out why you were having problems...you are the only one to mention that. When I have that problem I switch browsers- from Firefox to Safari. Firefox has given me fits trying to post on other sites...
If nothing else, and I mean this sincerely Jim, thank gawd I met you online. You have been a true comrade in arms and supporter.