ANTI-TERROR DATABASE TO CLOSE

Um... NO!

Um...No to both questions?

I don't trust Bush as far as I can spit. I think he is a disgrace.

Um . . . Do you? :)

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

Hi, Doyle - busy day at the office.

No, I do not trust the Pentagon to get rid of the db - or, let me say, that I do not trust them to get rid of all backups. : p

And, no, I also am not comfortable with them collecting info on US citizens' activities that they may "deem" unpatriotic. We all saw what happened in the 60's with that sort of thing.

What do you think? I heard a little bit on the senate committee hearing on the "REAL ID" program that they snuck into a bill last year. I don't like the sound of that, either. I'm getting to like Senator Lehey (sp?) more and more.

I think it's more likely they'll arm the military with butterflies than lose the db. I'm still pondering the "spy on your own citizens" issue. I remember the 60s. It is often a waste of money and resources. But then I wonder why bother to spy? Most anti-war types would tell anyone who listened anyway. Likely I'm missing something . . . but I am considering.....

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

Geez...y'all are really, really, really naive.

Did it ever occur to you that all this is just status quo?

The things you don't know about what is going on in the Pentagon, would stagger the imagination.

Information about these sorts of programs, trickled out as it is, is only done to keep the sheeple happy.

So, CA, I guess we shouldn't care then? You are willing to accept that this goes on all the time (and worse, as you state) and just shrug your shoulders?

Yep. It did occur to me that this is status quo CA. Not sure how that makes anyone naive though.

I've seen this type of thinking before:

[1] They know more than we do.
[2] Therefore, they are the experts.
[3] Therefore, we should let them make all those bothersome decisions for us.
[4] They have decided we should be left uninformed (for security reasons)
[5] See #1.

Still - inquiries, even of those things considered by many to be rampant, have had an effect. (See Watergate). :)

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

Well said, Doyle. I wonder about the level of civics and history education received by a lot of the commentors on Gather. It just doesn't seem to me that they GET this whole idea of what a democratic form of government is all about!

Only an informed citizenry can make informed decisions . . . whether they will or not remains to be seen.

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

I wonder how the arrest this week of those morons who planned to attack Ft Dix soldiers will affect this program. Anybody believe those idiots were planted or encouraged by the infiltrator in their midst? Even the FBI admits they were "not the A-team" of terrorists.

Doyle and Sheryl...

Dad worked in the Defense Dept. for 30+ years. The sheer lack of information that most 'civilians' have, is quite staggering...and for good reason.

I could say "trust me on this", but I won't. That's not fair. Draw your own conclusions.

I feel quite safe, thank you very much.

CA - I don't expect them to tell all, but it is unsettling to me that they would spy and keep records on the personal activities of people who are simply voicing their opposition to the war and exercising their rights in this country. I will never support a REAL ID program where they can have all sorts of my personal data on one big DB that they say will be protected. If private corps have issues with keeping their data safe, imagine the government trying to keep it secure.

CA -
I'm not saying anything like 'everything should be disclosed'. My father was also career military and we both have known and have had (I still have) a National Security clearance . . . though his was military and mine was civilian. That's not what concerns me. What concerns me is that the 'experts' are relied on for information that determines -- in part -- some very significant benefits to themselves.

For example - suppose you tell me you need a billion dollars to keep me safe. You have the information and share some of it . . . to back up the request. You are the expert. I need to hand you the cash.

See the dilemma? This requires trust. I realize that there is some oversight. I KNOW that. But that requires trust as well.

This is how it ties in . . . do you trust the db will be eliminated? I do not. I suspect you know better as well. As I mentioned earlier . . . I'm not sure, other than a waste of tax dollars, that it bothers me . . . I have nothing to hide.

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

Doyle,

You and I are on the same page.

As long as the master of disaster, Bush, is in power, my trust is zero.

I must say, William, that I feel the same way although I am disheartened that this administration has ruined any trust I had in my government.

I agree with you 100% on that William. Only a fool would trust this Administration.

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

Did anyone watch the Frontline piece this week on the wire tapping that good ol' George is doing on American citizens? The part about the special rooms at AT&T are really amazing - our rights as citizens of this country are being taken away quickly and no one seems to be upset about it besides the ACLU!

Haven't seen any tv for about a week . . . wonder if the piece can stream online somewhere?

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

LoL! Ask and receive:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/homefront/interviews/swire.html

I'll check it when I have more time.

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~