Is Anyone Watching Us

[Steely_Dan]

Okay, file this under "paranoia."

I was driving to work this morning, mumbling to myself how fortunate it is that the DU exists when I suddenly got this panicky feeling...not unlike a 70's flashback.

What if someone is "listening" in. Okay, I accept the fact that the DU is probably monitored by "someone" or "something" that is diametrically opposed to our philosophical views. I just make that assumption. But to what extent could someone be "digging" into our backgrounds and personal information.

I'm sure that the DU is secure...as "secure" as any web site. But it makes one wonder.

I do not hesitate to express my true beliefs on this forum. Yet, every once in a while, I get a little nervous. Anyone else feel that way?

-Paige

[MAlibdem]

1. OK EVERYBODY!!!

I KNOW YESTERDAY WAS 4/20 AND EVERYONE WAS GETTING BAKED, BUT THIS PARANOIA BULLSHIT HAS TO STOP.

Everyone just be happy!

[bif]

2. CYA

Cover Your Ass. And use aliases and give out as little info as possible. I have an anti-bush cartoon site and I felt that way right after the Patriot Act was shoved through Congress. But there are no links back to me, so I don't worry too much. But someday, there may be a knock at my door.

[High Sierra Buck]

13. No Links back to you?

Do you own a PC that you use in your home? Thats all the link that is needed. If the feds want to know who it is that is posting to a site, or who it is that owns a site, the method to track down the user is so simple even a child can do it given the equipment to do the job.

I'm not advocating its time to be paranoid, but I will tell you this, tracking down where a post comes from is as easy as cake when the someone who is doing the tracking has the equipment to monitor network traffic and capture all data going to and from a specific IP address.

[yella_dawg]

15. Even if I only post

from my freeper brother's PC???


Mwa Ha Ha Haaa...

[swag]

3. That there are so many others freely expressing their views

gives me comfort in times of paranoia.

If anything, we need to shout louder.

When things get quiet, that's the time to be afraid.

[markus]

4. Anybody remember the bit about the guy talking to the wire tapper?

I don't know if it was George Carlin. It was an edgy sort of
Carlin meets FST sort of piece. The guy is just talking into
the phone on the assumption that someone is listening.

I can't remember it to clearly. Does the eavesdropper commit
suicide or something at the end? Does anyone remember this bit
and whose it was?

On an aside, my Yahoo Mail sig:

Notice: This e-mail is protected by the U.S. Constitution and
the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. Interception by any
public or private agency is an ugly sort of work to be in.
Does your mother know you spend your days reading other
people's mail? Would she be proud of you? 

[MAlibdem]

7. I like that sig...

very much

[tom_paine]

24. That is a BEAUTIFUL SIGLINE! May I borrow it?

For my e-mail...

[prodigal_green]

5. Panopticon

Foucault discusses the use of the panopticon in prisons to regulate prisoner behavior. Basically, it works like this: have a viewing tower in the center of the prison. The surveiller can see out, but the prisoners cannot see in, that way they never know if they are being watched. It is the FEAR of being watched that keeps them in line. Same thing whenever you hear, "this call may be monitored for quality assurance" when you call customer service. The CS person knows that there is a chance of being monitored, so he or she is on best behavior. BTW, this is the same reason I used to sit at the back of the room when giving students a test. They couldn't see whom I was watching, so each had to assume I was watching him or her.

The Patriot Act is in place precisely to scare us into shutting up. If you think there is a slight chance that the government may pick you out of the trillions of e-mails, internet posts, etc, you are more likely to censor yourself. They don't actually have to spend any resources to monitor you because you'll monitor yourself.

Resist the panopticon!!

[radwriter0555]

6. let them listen, maybe they'll learn what it's like to be REAL americans!

We're not doing ANYTHING WRONG. We are exercizing our right to freedom of speech, freedom of expression.

We HAVE THE RIGHT TO DISSENT in a peaceable manner.

Fork em all.

[Steely_Dan]

8. Don't Mean to Cause a Problem

You can tell by the few number of posts that I have that I'm pretty new here.

My original post wasn't to encourage anyone from posting their strong opinions for fear of being monitored. It was merely the paranoia of a newbie...just looking for some feedback on the subject.

Our freedom of expression is help dear to all of us. As such, in the current political climate (such as with the Patriot Act, etc.), I thought it was worth a mention.

I've never been a linguistic coward...I will speak my mind without hesitation. Of course...one must avoid yelling fire in a crowded theater.

-P

[mouse7]

9. Then don't organize any DU Opium Dens

For God's sake... who cares if anyone watches. Nobody is doing anything illegal, and Matcom will take the fall for the immoral and fattening stuff.

[truthspeaker]

11. oh, OK

*takes opium den off-site*

[bobthedrummer]

10. It's like it says in the US Constitution, not the PATRIOT ACT

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

[hunter]

12. Send me a PM John Ashcroft...

I'll tell you who I am, if you don't already know.

But honestly, Paige, I don't think he will. He's too busy looking at pictures of naked women wielding whips and branding irons, and investigating international terrorists like Tommy "Put-that-in-your-pipe-and-smoke-it" Chong.

This is the United States of America. I can say things like that anytime I want to. The government belongs to the people, and when the government screws up so badly as this Bush Administration has, it is our duty to kick their sorry ignorant asses out of office.

Let them fear the people, do not fear them. Do not follow them quietly into the darkness. They have no power in the light.

[Steely_Dan]

14. Thanks Hunter

You know, your post sort of empowered me. I appreciate it.

I know that we live in a free country and that we can say what we will...even criticizing the president. However, the loss of personal freedoms can come very slowly and be disguised as many things (to make it palatable to the people).

My intent was not only to see what others had to say...but it was to remind all of us what you said yourself. This is not only our right, it is our obligation!

-Paige

[seabeyond]

16. i have been into a lot of islamic sites

deep in the internet, real dark places, lol lol but the one i accidently got into, that concerns me most with a check by the name, the pedophile club site. telling people how to be and get away with it, and validation and justification for this act of behavior.

i hear what you say, .........i just figure there are much bigger fish to fry, than little ole me.

big thumbs up and welcome and thanks for sharing

[hunter]

22. real dark places

you should always tell someone when you run across dark places on the internet where forty year old guys are pretending to be horny thirteen year old virgin boy or girl islamic bus bombers and all the shift keys are broken just in case they are real

[TXlib]

17. Well,

If you're concerned, don't give out info that could be used to track you down.

Also, if you write anything that could be interpreted as an incitement to violence, threat to elected officials, etc, then you shouldn't feel too surprised if the Secret Service comes knocking at your door to find out if you were venting your spleen (and not being too bright about it), or if you are a real threat.

[Steely_Dan]

18. Yep...

Yep...you're right.

[Dissenting_Prole]

19. Bring 'em on!

I am not afraid to say what I believe.

Then again, I live in Canada, home of the slightly more free.

I am....

Barry Silverthorn
producer/editor
The End of Suburbia

http://endofsuburbia.com/

[Snow]

20. Having lived in military dictatorships,

I find one of the most annoying and harmful things people do is get fearful and censor themselves. It makes the courageous or loudmouthed few much more conspicuous, then the gestapo comes for them and everyone sees that - notching up the fear that much more. On the other hand, in this selfsame country, when people did get together and protest en masse, it nearly always resulted in a change of government - usually for another military dictator, but, hey, you gotta keep trying till you get it right, eh? And in fact, they eventually did get it right. Korea now has elected leaders, subject to losing their jobs, and not able to haul dissidents off for torture. Things progress, but the idea of getting careful and keeping quiet is one to stay away from, in my experience.

[fedsron2us]

21. You will know when the secret police call

because there will be three of them.

One will read, one will write and the other one will keep an eye on the two intellectuals.

[mike1963]

23. I think everyone must set their own level of paranoia. As for me, I send

several highly excoriating email/letters to Chimpy every week and I include my email in them (usually employ www.congress.org) and real name & address. If the bastards want to shut me up (or down), they'll have to dispatch some jackboot thugs. If that happens, well, it could well be newsworthy.

[e-mail]

(Which is in my profile as well)

:grr:

[tom_paine]

25. Unquestionably.

Everything we say here is public domain. At best, it is only Bushevik Political Operatives who are watching us.

Knowing the Tyrannical Intentions of the Imperial Family and their desire for Unchecked Power, I think it is safe to assume that corrupted Law Enforcement Bushevik Loyalists (read Nazis who obey their Masters, and could give a shit about the Law) are also watching us and probably making a list for the Day of the Final Solution, whatever that will be this time around.

I assume that EVERYTHING I do on the Internet is viewable by everybody. It makes for less restlessness.

The Bushevik Nazis are makin' a list and checking it twice...

You can wager that's EXACTLY what the murderous scum are doing. And, as Goebbels once said, they have AAALLLL the power of the State at their disposal now.