Confusion on legality vs fighting terrorism

[Marty919]

Not sure how others here feel about this, but would love to hear some opinions.

The following article on Yahoo News now tells that the FBI used 'illegal' methods to obtain phone records.

IG: FBI circumvented law to get phone records - Yahoo! News

Here is the dilemma:

While I don't love the idea of Big Brother listening to, recording, or keeping records of my private phone calls (or emails, etc), I have nothing to hide, I'm a good citizen, legal, etc etc etc. But the bad guys need to be stopped before they do harm - by whatever means necessary (IMHO).

So: where do we draw the line between transgression on personal privacy and the need to sometimes play dirty to win the larger cause. Winning and keeping all my privacy rights and freedoms does me no good if biochemicals are wafting through the air or water in my city, or if the next flight I take for business or vacation is destroyed in the air by some nut job who thinks virgins are actually waiting for him.

On the other hand, what good are our basic rights if we don't preserve them and fight for them?

Do we risk one for the other? I'd love to hear what my fellow forum members think about this. Just for the record: MY (I can only speak for myself) opinion is DO WHATEVER IT TAKES and DO IT NOW and STOP *****-FOOTING AROUND THE ISSUE. I'll give up a little privacy if it helps eliminate the threats to my ultimate survival.

What do you all think?

Marty919

 

[afriqueart]

Today you might be asked to give up a little privacy, tomorrow, perhaps a little more. At some point you may have given up all your rights.

Reminds me of a story about the Jews in WWII. Kept giving up a little more and then, well, you know the story.

We are unique because we cherish our rights and I know my forefathers fought to preserve those rights. They'd roll over in their grave at the thought that I was so cavalier as to give them up one at a time.

 

[Tom Beavert]

I feel freedom is much more important than security. now, how do we force this issue?
tb

 

[redlevel]

I don't do air travel, so the situation doesn't have too much urgency with me. I think there is a fine line between doing what is needed to insure security and stepping over that line to violate privacy rights. There needs to be a pretty well defined set of rules, and the various agencies need to be closely watched.

It is a well known fact that if you give someone a hammer, he/she thinks the whole world is a nail.

 

[ohiobuckeye]

........On the other hand, what good are our basic rights if we don't preserve them and fight for them?.............

I believe your own words contain the answer to any doubt you may have.

 

[truckemup97]

Didn't one of our founding fathers say something like, "He who gives up liberty for security will have neither"?

Very little of what our Federal government does would be considered Constitutional by those founding fathers. I certainly don't want to give up any more rights than have already been taken from me. (and I want those back) If we say that listening in on phone calls w/o a warrant is OK in the case of terrorism, and the state of Missouri says anyone with a Ron Paul bumpersticker is a terrorist, then where does that leave us?

 

[m1gunner]

Our current leaders aren't fighting terrorism. They are managing it.

These incremental losses of freedom and rights is just what leads to total control over the citizenry resting with government instead of "We The People" where it is supposed to be.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I don't like the idea of anyone listening in on domestic phone calls. From what I understand, the calls that were being listened to (nobody is listening to anything now, not even the mood of the country) were suspicious calls made to areas where there were known terrorists. I don't see a problem with monitoring things coming in or out of the country, even phone calls. I think domestic calls require a court order after showing probable cause that crimes are being committed. Blocking all call monitoring is just plain stupid. Next thing you know they'll be wanting to mirandize and lawyer up the terrorists and try them in civilian courts in this country at our expense, not to mention the security problems.

 

[armadillo]

Looks like someone was just lazy.

Reading this report - it appears they were getting call billing records. Federal law makes it easy for them to get that information - IF it relates to ANY criminal investigation. I think they may have to pay the company for the cost of looking up the records.

 

[BarbC]

If the federal government would concentrate on doing the job it was set up to do - guarding our borders and keeping our country safe from attack - instead of devoting resources to regulating every inch of our lives, protecting us from our own irresponsibility, and guarding special interests overseas, then we could be free to live our lives in peace and without harassment.

Wasn't that the way it was supposed to be?

 

[neiljrosen]

Well......that explains the giggling I've been hearing in the background when I'm on the phone.

 

[oliver507]

+1 for what BarbC said. The US Government does not have the right to control US citizens lives.