If you don't have anything to hide then it shouldn't matter to you."

In respect to wire tapping and phone logs what really bothers me is this statement: “If you don’t have anything to hide then it shouldn’t matter to you.”

For this to make sense you have to take a very long leap and say the administration has our best interests and security at heart. These are the people who outed a CIA agent and twisted intelligence about Iraq. Do you not think that if they decide you are a threat they will not cherry pick and take statements out of context when it comes to your phone conversations. Who decides who is a threat. If its an ann coulter type then all liberals are traitors and a threat to security. Believe me there are a lot of ann coulter types in this government.
For the sake of argument lets take the big leap here and say the administration will not use this information for anything but protecting us. Remember its a big leap. What guarantee do we have that the NSA will discontinue these practices when the “threat” is over. What guarantee do we have that some G. Gordon Liddy or J Edgar Hoover wackjob won’t use your info to crush any dissent through blackmail and slander. Something along the lines of “I see you made a hotel reservation in your hometown while your wife was away. Maybe its in everyones best interest if you shut your traiterous left wing blog down so she doesn’t get upset in case she finds out.” or “I think your right wing boss needs to know you are calling congress from the company phone.” I’m sure we could think up many more.
So you very much have something to worry about even not being a terrorist. This is pure Big Brother and its not a healthy way to run a democracy. It is however a great way to stifle dissent and keep an eye on your political enemies.

7 Comments

Omir the Storyteller on May 11, 2006 at 1:42 pm

I posted this story as part of my Sunday Griot series last year. It comes to mind every time I hear someone say that if you haven’t done anything wrong, you don’t need to worry.

“I quite disagree,” said Horace.

“But why should he?” said Horace’s friend. “If a man has done nothing, why should he worry? The facts of it will come out.”

The year was 1909. Horace was a student at Cambridge, and keenly interested in politics. He happened to be in London that day, and had met up with a friend of his, a member of Parliament from Leeds. The topic of discussion had turned to crime and punishment, and whether an innocent man had anything to fear from the authorities.

The debate had been going on for some time when suddenly Horace sighed. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said in apparent acquiescence. He looked up absently, as if listening to some inner voice, then tapped his friend on the shoulder. “Race you to the corner?”

“You’re on,” said the MP.

“All right,” said Horace. “Ready – steady – GO!”

The MP took off like a shot, but instead of racing, Horace began to scream bloody murder. “Thief! Thief!” he yelled. “Stop that man! He’s got my watch!” Only then did Horace take off running after the MP.

A policeman at the corner the MP had been rushing toward grabbed the MP as he rushed past. “What’s all this then?” the copper asked.

Horace rushed up to the policeman, out of breath. “Thank you, officer,” he panted.

“Stop this!” the MP said to Horace, then turned to the officer. “Do you know who I am?”

“Can’t say that I do, sir,” the policeman replied. The MP identified himself.

“And my name, officer,” Horace offered, “is Horace de Vere Cole.”

Horace made a great show of reaching into the MP’s jacket pocket and he pulled out a watch, which he had slipped into the pocket when his friend wasn’t looking. Inside the cover of the watch was the inscription: “H. d.V. Cole.”

The officer led the MP away, still protesting. “Don’t worry,” Horace called after him. “After all, an innocent man has nothing to fear.”

As one of the respondents to the story pointed out, “Try telling that to any middle-aged black or Latino male in this country.”

Shalimar on May 11, 2006 at 1:44 pm

Also worrying is a corollary to your question: If the administration isn’t doing anything wrong, why are they so secretive about the details of everything they’re doing?

Salunga on May 11, 2006 at 1:51 pm

Thats the million dollar question. There is something very fishy going on.

Planet B on May 11, 2006 at 1:54 pm

Tom Tomorrow: The Innocent Have Nothing to Hide

vieravisionary on May 11, 2006 at 2:47 pm

Thanks for this link! It brings the message home in simple and easy to understand terms!
- Omir the Storyteller on May 11, 2006 at 3:07 pm
  
  This week’s cartoon is spot on too, as usual.
  
  Basically Tom is funny and generally pretty much right on the money.

stormkite on May 11, 2006 at 11:50 pm

But then there’s this as well: If we’re to the point where the Shrubberies can spy on anyone they like, tap any phone they like, read any mail, bug any computer, search any office, car, library, home, all without consequence or accountability, then it really DOESN’T matter if they do it….

because they can also disappear anyone they like, imprison anyone they like, render anyone they like… and if they don’t have evidence, they can create it, plant it, or simply disappear anyone else who asks to see it… so those who ARE innocent have nothing to fear as long as they realize one thing:

NOBODY is innocent — ever.

Omir the Storyteller on May 11, 2006 at 1:42 pm

I posted this story as part of my Sunday Griot series last year. It comes to mind every time I hear someone say that if you haven’t done anything wrong, you don’t need to worry.

“I quite disagree,” said Horace.

“But why should he?” said Horace’s friend. “If a man has done nothing, why should he worry? The facts of it will come out.”

The year was 1909. Horace was a student at Cambridge, and keenly interested in politics. He happened to be in London that day, and had met up with a friend of his, a member of Parliament from Leeds. The topic of discussion had turned to crime and punishment, and whether an innocent man had anything to fear from the authorities.

The debate had been going on for some time when suddenly Horace sighed. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said in apparent acquiescence. He looked up absently, as if listening to some inner voice, then tapped his friend on the shoulder. “Race you to the corner?”

“You’re on,” said the MP.

“All right,” said Horace. “Ready – steady – GO!”

The MP took off like a shot, but instead of racing, Horace began to scream bloody murder. “Thief! Thief!” he yelled. “Stop that man! He’s got my watch!” Only then did Horace take off running after the MP.

A policeman at the corner the MP had been rushing toward grabbed the MP as he rushed past. “What’s all this then?” the copper asked.

Horace rushed up to the policeman, out of breath. “Thank you, officer,” he panted.

“Stop this!” the MP said to Horace, then turned to the officer. “Do you know who I am?”

“Can’t say that I do, sir,” the policeman replied. The MP identified himself.

“And my name, officer,” Horace offered, “is Horace de Vere Cole.”

Horace made a great show of reaching into the MP’s jacket pocket and he pulled out a watch, which he had slipped into the pocket when his friend wasn’t looking. Inside the cover of the watch was the inscription: “H. d.V. Cole.”

The officer led the MP away, still protesting. “Don’t worry,” Horace called after him. “After all, an innocent man has nothing to fear.”

As one of the respondents to the story pointed out, “Try telling that to any middle-aged black or Latino male in this country.”
Shalimar on May 11, 2006 at 1:44 pm

Also worrying is a corollary to your question: If the administration isn’t doing anything wrong, why are they so secretive about the details of everything they’re doing?
- Salunga on May 11, 2006 at 1:51 pm
  
  Thats the million dollar question. There is something very fishy going on.
Planet B on May 11, 2006 at 1:54 pm

Tom Tomorrow: The Innocent Have Nothing to Hide
- vieravisionary on May 11, 2006 at 2:47 pm
  
  Thanks for this link! It brings the message home in simple and easy to understand terms!
  - Omir the Storyteller on May 11, 2006 at 3:07 pm
    
    This week’s cartoon is spot on too, as usual.
    
    Basically Tom is funny and generally pretty much right on the money.
stormkite on May 11, 2006 at 11:50 pm

But then there’s this as well: If we’re to the point where the Shrubberies can spy on anyone they like, tap any phone they like, read any mail, bug any computer, search any office, car, library, home, all without consequence or accountability, then it really DOESN’T matter if they do it….

because they can also disappear anyone they like, imprison anyone they like, render anyone they like… and if they don’t have evidence, they can create it, plant it, or simply disappear anyone else who asks to see it… so those who ARE innocent have nothing to fear as long as they realize one thing:

NOBODY is innocent — ever.

If you don’t have anything to hide then it shouldn’t matter to you."

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