🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <713548971.F00005@blkcat.UUCP> Nelson.F..Steele@p807.f70.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Nelson F. Steele) writes:
>On 8/10/92 Dave Pipes x4552 said to All: 
>
>    DP>  For
>  DP> example: If they did monitor to the extent possible in 1984, why would
>  DP> the FBI even have to tap someone to get evidence?  They'd just call
>  DP> NSA and get the tapes...
> 
>In a stunning example of inter-agency cooperation.  NSA monitored Americans in
>the 60s (Puzzle Palace).  If they're doing it now I think they'd be reluctant to
>tell anyone else.

The previous poster, to whom I replied, painted a picture of a 1984 style
world where the government just does whatever it pleases, brutally suppressing
the rights of individuals.  I tried to point out that things would be very
different if that was indeed happening.

The fact that they did it in the 60's, to a few people, and handed the info
over does not mean that they do it now.  And remember, there were active
terrorists in the US in the 60's - surely keeping an eye on them was a good
thing.  There were actually full scale assaults on government facilities on
a few occasions, solely for the purpose of gaining weapons.  So there are
situations where monitoring is wise.

I repeat - if the information is being abused, we would see some evidence of
it, sooner or later.  Much as some enjoy the aura of fear such assertions
create, we are not living in a police state.

		David Pipes
For one thing, if we were, I could walk through Southeast DC at night...

robear@digex.com