Conspiracy Theory

Ok, I’m trying really hard not to become some kind of conspiracy nut.  I’ve always been skeptical of conspiracy theories.  Almost all of them require a very complicated and vast cover up.  A cover up on that scale would require a competence far beyond the capability of those reported to be behind the conspiracy.  But reading the news these days I have found myself contemplating a different kind of conspiracy.  One that doesn’t require a cover up, but only requires misdirection.  Misdirection is easy.  By nature people look away from that which they do not want to see.  (I’m sounding like a nutter already).

Here’s the thing.  The Department of Homeland Security has been monitoring social media and any other kind of free speech they can get their hands on.  http://news.yahoo.com/homeland-security-watches-twitter-social-media-183721483.html.  They’ve been doing that for over a year.  I don’t remember hearing about that.  There was an election happening right around that time. 

At the end of 2011 all we heard about was a Social Security payroll tax debate.  On New Years Eve, Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act which allows US citizens to be detained indefinitely without a trial.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defense_Authorization_Act_for_Fiscal_Year_2012

There were also rashes of “executive orders” issued.  Those basically allow the president to bypass congress to do whatever he wants.  People can say that’s unconstitutional, but congress is responsible for giving all those agencies all that power.  Congress empowered a bureaucracy controlled by the executive branch.  What did they think would happen?  Those orders have been flying by so fast that no one has noticed.  Obama even held press conferences to brag about doing it.

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOPA) and Protect IP Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROTECT_IP_Act) are both blatant, unmasked attempts to censor and control content on the internet. 

Obama has even issued an executive order authorizing the commerce department to create a centralized Internet ID system (http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20027800-281.html?tag=mncol;txt)  That would basically create a way for the government to monitor and regulate everything we do on the internet.

Who needs a cover up when you have diversions and popular support?  Just hold a press conference and people will refuse to believe it.

Now, I can’t help but look at this chain of events and see the destruction of our individual liberty. 

1. SOPA and the Protection IP Act both give the government the right to shut down web sites if they are deemed to be a “threat” by the attorney general (no due process necessary).
2. Homeland Security can track everyone’s internet travels, which becomes so much easier once you must have an Internet ID to be on the internet.
3. If you are found to be frequenting, supporting or a party to any offending website (as determined by the attorney general) you can be detained indefinitely without due process thanks to the National Defense Authorization Act of FY 2012. 

• Note the definition of Terrorist: one who employs the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrorist)  by extension Terror: a cause of anxiety.  By that definition, this blog could be a terrorist act if it were to cause anyone anxiety. 

Somehow, that doesn’t seem that far-fetched to me.  That doesn’t FEEL like a conspiracy theory; especially since all but SOPA and the Protection IP Act has already happened.  It has been my personal observation that a government, of any kind, given power will abuse that power. 

I hope I’m wrong.  Maybe our government is the exception.  Maybe they can be trusted to keep their promises.  Maybe they won’t abuse their power.  I mean, do we really have any reason or historical precedent that might lead us to believe our government can’t be trusted with absolute power?

Maybe we should think twice about building that barbed wire, militarized fence on the Mexican border.  (say didn’t they have something like that in Germany a while back?)


Edit: A related news story:  http://m.yahoo.com/w/news_america/keywords-twitter-government-attention-192922409.html?orig_host_hdr=news.yahoo.com&.intl=us&.lang=en-us