[CLUE-Talk] FBI Gets Broad Domestic Spy Powers

[Matt Gushee]

On Thu, May 30, 2002 at 10:36:05PM -0500, Michael J. Hammel wrote:
> Thus spoke Jeffery Cann
> > Whatever.  My gripe about this announcement is the incredible lack of checks 
> > and balances.  What's to stop over zealous FBI field agents from pursing / 
> > harassing / building 'files' on folks considered out of the norm?
> 
> You're starting to sound paranoid Jeff.  That's the polite version of my
> reply.  I toned it *waaaaaay* down.
> 
> The DMCA is relevant to CLUE because of it's direct attack of open source.
> The FBI's expanded powers are only remotely so.  Let's try to keep the
> discussions relevant, please.

As was pointed out last time somebody got upset about a political topic
being raised in this milieu, the list charter allows whatever topics are
of interest to the members. Which I take to mean that you are entitled to
object to Jeff's raising this issue, but he is equally entitled to raise
it until there is shown to be a consensus against his doing so.

And as for the relevance of the topic, the erosion of civil liberties is
relevant to *Americans* (and anybody else who happens to be living in this 
country). Of course, if you start from the assumption that nothing's wrong, 
I guess you can still say "so what?"

But what country have you been living in, Mike? After all the revelations
we've seen over the past couple of years of the FBI's abuses and incompetence,
I don't see how anyone, even if they are mostly inclined to trust our
current administration, can say there's no cause for concern.

FWIW, I'm glad Jeff is bringing these issues to our attention.

-- 
Matt Gushee
Englewood, Colorado, USA
mgushee at havenrock.com
http://www.havenrock.com/