Yes, folks ... I was shocked, horrified, and dumbfounded by what took place this evening. A chapter right out of George Orwell's 1984 ... Big Brother listens in for quality assurance. Even my radical right-wing conservative Republican sensibilities were shaken to the ground. What happened?
I used a pay phone to make a call. As I picked up the receiver, I saw a government sticker on it warning users that the phone is monitored by the FBI under the 2002 Patriot Act ... and as such any conversation I engage in I am presumed to have given consent to the FBI to listen in, record, and use any information against me in a court of law. They even stated the web site I could go to for more information, or call a toll free line to discuss any concerns with the FBI.
Am I crazy, or have we as Americans allowed our government a little too much control here? Yes, we all want the FBI, NSA, DIA, CIA, and other similar law enforcement to catch the bastards who might slam planes into buildings, or who might set off a dirty bomb at a ball game or shopping center ... but ... something about this just seems a little more security than we really need. Maybe some of you can explain this better and help me get it. - Jim W.