3 ms·

It's pretty evident that people get the exact kind of government they want and deserve. I feel no sympathy for anyone in this whole fiasco.

miguelrochefort 13y ago
All of this was totally expected. I fail to understand all the drama surrounding it. Just acknowledge reality and kill the monster before it's too late.
ikusalic 13y ago
I often share that opinion, at least with regard to politics. But the problem with the privacy is that this is happening on the global stage. I'm not an American, but I do care about this. It's affecting everybody. If I'd be pessimistic (and I am...) I'd say this is just a step in slow process that will have some drastic consequences for the freedom in the whole world.
dasil003 13y ago
Not even for RMS? I'm sorry but you can't blame the people for overreach of government powers ex post facto. It's not like people are perfectly informed of everything or that they deserve everything they get because they were at one point manipulated by propaganda. The fact is that it's a constant battle against the ambitious and power-hungry people that drive governments towards totalitarianism. To smugly throw up your arms and say it's the people's fault is to give a free pass the actual evildoers—the actual people who are sitting in backrooms selling out our freedom and liberty in order to get more control and leverage for who knows what purposes. Maybe some of them are actually well-intentioned (certainly many of the people they manipulate are), but those people are fools, utter fools who should pick up a history book.
alan_cx 13y ago
Sort of, yes. But with the US I do have some sympathy. Trouble is, from my British European perspective, I feel that Americans only have two right wing conservative parties to chose from. One of the things that drives me mental is hearing Obama being described by Republicans as "socialist", even "communist", when Obama is politically further right and our Conservative party in the UK. US politics has no "left" what so ever. Obviously that is relative. But from a global perspective I think that holds. On top of that money is everything in US politics, and the money goes to those two parties. A third party, more to the left, has zero chance. Then of course there is also the loud hysterical fear mongering right wing media. So, who can Americans vote for for real fundamental change? How could a new message even make it through to Americans? Obama was supposed to be that change, but it turns out he is merely a more intelligent looking President than Bush. His policies seem to have ended up as right wing as Bush's. I realise that his situation with the two houses has compromised him, but I don't recall all this spying and other things like killer robot drone murder being a big issue that he has to bend to. He chose to allow all that. So, from my POV, its not clear to me what American voters can actually do. Unless, these billionaire tech business men get their money together and "disrupt" traditional US politics with a new party. Which I believe they could fairly easily do. Especially as these people control the new media. While I'll happily mock the statements from google and facebook, I do get the sense that both really didnt like being roped in to the NSA's little scheme one little bit. Well, now may well be the time for them to get together and create a new political space for Americans, and possibly, the rest of us. But, as things stand, and normally I would agree with your sentiment, I find it very hard to blame the American people. Here in the UK, and Europe, I believe we have far more choice, and can more reasonably be held to account for our governments. I feel that US government, with big business, has become more disconnected from the people than any other democracy in history.
- deleted 13y ago
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miguelrochefort 13y ago

All of this was totally expected. I fail to understand all the drama surrounding it. Just acknowledge reality and kill the monster before it's too late.

ikusalic 13y ago

I often share that opinion, at least with regard to politics. But the problem with the privacy is that this is happening on the global stage. I'm not an American, but I do care about this. It's affecting everybody. If I'd be pessimistic (and I am...) I'd say this is just a step in slow process that will have some drastic consequences for the freedom in the whole world.

dasil003 13y ago

Not even for RMS? I'm sorry but you can't blame the people for overreach of government powers ex post facto. It's not like people are perfectly informed of everything or that they deserve everything they get because they were at one point manipulated by propaganda. The fact is that it's a constant battle against the ambitious and power-hungry people that drive governments towards totalitarianism. To smugly throw up your arms and say it's the people's fault is to give a free pass the actual evildoers—the actual people who are sitting in backrooms selling out our freedom and liberty in order to get more control and leverage for who knows what purposes. Maybe some of them are actually well-intentioned (certainly many of the people they manipulate are), but those people are fools, utter fools who should pick up a history book.

alan_cx 13y ago

Sort of, yes. But with the US I do have some sympathy. Trouble is, from my British European perspective, I feel that Americans only have two right wing conservative parties to chose from. One of the things that drives me mental is hearing Obama being described by Republicans as "socialist", even "communist", when Obama is politically further right and our Conservative party in the UK. US politics has no "left" what so ever. Obviously that is relative. But from a global perspective I think that holds. On top of that money is everything in US politics, and the money goes to those two parties. A third party, more to the left, has zero chance. Then of course there is also the loud hysterical fear mongering right wing media. So, who can Americans vote for for real fundamental change? How could a new message even make it through to Americans? Obama was supposed to be that change, but it turns out he is merely a more intelligent looking President than Bush. His policies seem to have ended up as right wing as Bush's. I realise that his situation with the two houses has compromised him, but I don't recall all this spying and other things like killer robot drone murder being a big issue that he has to bend to. He chose to allow all that. So, from my POV, its not clear to me what American voters can actually do. Unless, these billionaire tech business men get their money together and "disrupt" traditional US politics with a new party. Which I believe they could fairly easily do. Especially as these people control the new media. While I'll happily mock the statements from google and facebook, I do get the sense that both really didnt like being roped in to the NSA's little scheme one little bit. Well, now may well be the time for them to get together and create a new political space for Americans, and possibly, the rest of us. But, as things stand, and normally I would agree with your sentiment, I find it very hard to blame the American people. Here in the UK, and Europe, I believe we have far more choice, and can more reasonably be held to account for our governments. I feel that US government, with big business, has become more disconnected from the people than any other democracy in history.

deleted 13y ago
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