This is some sort of collective 'memory loss' on these issues. Activists and journalists have been put under surveillance, infiltrated, harassed, put on lists a

This is some sort of collective 'memory loss' on these issues. Activists and journalists have been put under surveillance, infiltrated, harassed, put on lists and singled out at airports.[1] The harassment of keystone activists and protestors is ongoing [2], Laura Poitras harassment and surveillance is well documented [3][4], and evidence keeps popping out but there is some sort of dissonance and rationalization in play. After the Snowden revelations this should not surprise anyone but most articles on these issues have bland assertions of 'law' disconnected from events on the ground. Contrast that with articles on China, Russia that are met with indignation and outrage for the exact same issues. Its like using 'moderation' as a euphemism for censorship when it happens here, while continuing to shout censorship in other cases. If China or Russia did this it would be unilaterally condemned as totalitarian and oppression but because we did it there must be some 'rule of law' reason. People who care about these issues would be outraged wherever it happens. Selective outrage gives oppressive governments a pass and dilutes fundamental issues people claim to care about. [1] https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/rights-protesters/6-ways-government-going-after-environmental-activists https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/rights-protesters/6-wa... [2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/20/keystone-pipeline-protest-activism-crackdown-standing-rock https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/20/keystone... [3] https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/11/government-documents-show-fbi-cleared-filmmaker-laura-poitras-after-six-year https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/11/government-documents-s... [4] https://www.democracynow.org/shows/2012/4/20 https://www.democracynow.org/shows/2012/4/20