Barton Gellman wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@telecom-digest.org:
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Excerpts from a rather lengthy article
> over the weekend in Washingon Post. See the newspaper's web site for
> the entire article.formatting linkAnd people think Joe
> McCathy was bad news ... PAT]
For a look at the Patriot Act from the point of view of one of its targets, see
An excerpt:
According to a printout from a computer controlled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice, I am an enemy of the state.
The printout, shown to me recently by a friend who works for Justice, identifies me by a long, multi-digit number, lists my date of birth, place of birth, social security number and contains more than 100 pages documenting what the Bureau and the Bush Administration consider to be my threats to the security of the United States of America.
It lists where I sent to school, the name and address of the first wife that I had been told was dead but who is alive and well and living in Montana, background information on my current wife and details on my service to my country that I haven't even revealed to my wife or my family.
Although the file finds no criminal activity by me or members of my immediate family, it remains open because I am a "person of interest" who has "written and promoted opinions that are contrary to the government of the United States of America."
And it will remain active because the government of the United States, under the far-reaching provisions of the USA Patriot Act, can compile and retain such information on any American citizen. That act gives the FBI the authority to collect intimate details about anyone, even those not suspected of any wrongdoing.
We live in a very scary world.
George Bush's War of Choice on Iraq is a totally unnecessary war. Every life lost, every limb lost, every disfigurement, every disability caused there is more blood on George W. Bush's hands, and on the hands of everyone who voted for George W. Bush.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: That we do (live in a scary world). I expect to be totally gone in five or ten years, and I cannot say I will really miss it any, as things are going now. PAT]