FBI wants palm prints, eye scans, tattoo mapping
“The FBI is gearing up to create a massive computer database of people’s physical characteristics, all part of an effort the bureau says to better identify criminals and terrorists. But it’s an issue that raises major privacy concerns — what one civil liberties expert says should concern all Americans” writes CNN.
This is exactly like the comic I linked the other day. You remove personal privacy in order to bolster overall security. I liked a response at Digg by user Bangor:
“I’m just old enough to remember how many people used to get made fun of for suggesting that eventually every product would have a UPC code. People used to laugh at that! And then, of course, all the ‘crazy’ people who believed in RFID and retina scanning, etc. It’s sad. If I wanted a group of people to totally control, I’d go for the group whose mantra has always been, ‘our government would never do THAT!’ Little by little, year by year, the pot begins to boil. I still say that this is just the beginning. But how do you convince a group of people who didn’t even believe that every product would contain a UPC symbol for tracking purchases? We’re all slowly dying because they’re trying to ‘protect’ us.”
The next step is rice grain-sized chips on your arm. Yes, laugh at it now, call me a wacko, and say that this would never happen because the people would revolt. No, they WON’T revolt. People don’t care. They don’t care enough to go picket outside of the White House. They don’t care enough to give a call to their representative. Just like the British didn’t revolt about the thousands of cameras recording their every move. People just want to live their lives with as few inconveniences as possible. Having a chip in them, would be as inconvenient as taking a flu shot.
Now, cataloging people like you do for your sheep herd is not good or bad. It all depends on how the data is used or misused. The real question is this: Do you completely and utterly trust your government with your information? How sure are you that your government, or a future government, eventually doesn’t transform to a 1984-like surveillance and totalitarian society? Or even exchange data with corporations for the “good of the people”? By that time, when you would want to revolt, it would be too late, because they would come and put a bag on your head before you even pick up that picket. Because they would know that you are a threat before you even yourself realize it and decides to do something about it. How else do you think that they can effectively establish order on a planet of 7 billion people, each with his/her own agenda, other than having huge supercomputers that analyze every individual’s habits and actions? The Echelon system for years was laughed at as a “conspiracy theory”, until it proved 100% true. Think of Echelon, only better.
The question above is not asked just for Americans. USA might be among the few first countries in the world going towards such a policed system (I bet UK will be there faster) but your near-third world country will eventually get there too. Give it 50 or 100 years, it will have no other option. So the question posed here is global, not US-specific.
Personally, I don’t trust people, let alone a lot of people together that are calling themselves “the government”. I am by nature a pessimist too. So for me, loss of my freedoms is a deal breaker. What about you?
7 Comments »
I agree 100%.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
–Benjamin Franklin
The sad thing is, most of us won’t even be giving up our freedom for safety but for convenience like
“Get this new implant and you can pay automatically at the supermarket - no waiting for you!”
As you said, these things are gonna get introduced into our lives very gradually. Probably first for criminals.
“We cannot trust these people, we have to know where they are and what they’re up to all the time!”
Then for older people and children.
“Wouldn’t it be terrible if granny fell down the stairs somewhere and you didn’t know where she was? That cannot happen with this little tracking device that automatically tells you when she’s upset or in pain (blood levels)! You love your granny, don’t you?
Oh, and what about your little daughter? What if she got kidnapped or raped? Be on the safe side with our tracking device!”
When we see these kids grow up, they’ll have forgotten about privacy. They will have gotten used to being monitored by their parents “for their own safety” and “because mom and dad love them very much”, so the government (or should I say Big Brother?) will just be another benevolent entity monitoring them.
Another scary thing is, you won’t even be able to see that someone who resents the system is taken away and reprogrammed. He probably just had a stroke. Thank god the device detected this soon enough so he’s only left with a little speech impediment.
See you in the Greek mountains then…
(I wanted to put a smiley at the end of this sentence but somehow it didn’t feel right…)
I have been very politically involved most of my adult life.
I was the youngest delegate to any state democratic pres convention, I was a delegate to a large county labor organization. I have been a mentor to minorities and women for Labor, I have been involved in many civic programs that help adults and children and lastly been a boaster for United Way.
Except for United Way, Iam done. I was a whisle blower for a theft and now I am blacklisted for work. I believed in religion, in family, in the labor movement and in government and I am not so much a believer anymore, except in my children, their spouses and grandchildren. I beleive that most all of us are selfish and there are exceptions. I beleive that United Way in the Seattle area is a great organization that is helping people, but I also believe in general that no one cares about the truth and jjustice and that includes Church, Govt, many minority advocacy programs and before anyone spits on me for my lack of current interest and activity then Do what I did for thirty years and then judge me.
I understand if people try to prevent true terrorism. But why are they so afraid of the citizens of their own country that they want to control everything and everybody? Putin in Russia and this in the USA? Things are not looking good in the world?
I have no problem if they use this on violent felons.
I tried to read 1984, but found it boring 1/4 the way through. However I am aware of the “new world order”. Its the US and several other govm’ts and companies that want to combine into one and rule the world. What the FEDS actually want to do is give out a huge contract to some high tech company to do all this. You should talk to JBQ about this, hell, he has access to all of my web search history. But he won’t tell you that, Eugenia, because Google works for the CIA obviously.
>because Google works for the CIA obviously.
You are talking crap, and out of your ass.
Its ok Eugenia, I know he made you say that;) After all, you are Greek!! lol
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