talkpolitics | (no subject)

http://reason.com/archives/2013/06/12/three-reasons-the-nothing-to-hide-crowd
http://www.cato.org/blog/why-nsa-collecting-phone-records-problem
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110524/00084614407/privacy-is-not-secrecy-debunking-if-youve-got-nothing-to-hide-argument.shtml
http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/the-data-trust-blog/2009/02/debunking-a-myth-if-you-have-n.html

There are a significant number of people who respond to any revelation that government is violating the law (yes, the Constitution is part of the law) with a shrug and "I've got nothing to hide". These people are selfish fools at best. They are not looking at the bigger picture and/or aren't considering other people. Plus, they probably aren't paying attention to the fact that everyone in America is currently a criminal, that everyone violates a law with serious penalties at some point, whether you know it or not. (And the fact that that is the case is another problem, but that's outside the scope of my point here.)

Even Biden and Obama railed against what they are themselves supporting now, before they were in power. That alone should be enough to make you stop and think about what having that kind of power available can do to people.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It wasn't Obama hunting season.

Oh that's right, I forgot about that revelation a few months back that Obama was black. After that, the media was just being big meanies to him.

I think you're making about 40 thousand with these few words, so congrats on packing them in anyways.

First of all, "The Media" reports whatever they think will be headlines. Often, that's whatever they've been slipped by the aide of a powerful guy who says "This is goinna be big". Fox news, as having been actually set up as the outlet for conservatism by Nixon media consultant Roger Ailes is somewhat of an exception, but even there, there's enough employees that if something is going to be big, it's likely to get coverage. Now, this is obviously a giant generalization as the media is millions of people with their own beliefs and agendas, but you get the idea. Nothing I mentioned was about "The media" trying to do some sort of concerted action. You couldn't get "The media" to park a car.

Second, I don't think that conservative politicians are any more nor less racist than the places they come from, however what they are is politically savvy. And they know coming out and saying "We don't like him because he's black!!" would be a very bad political move. But they also know their constituents. They know they can get away with stuff like "Well why, DOESN'T he show his birth cirtificate? It's not like he has anything to hide, or does he? *wink wink*" And they have been fomenting that sort of gut level resentment in their base for a very long time.

So, when one guy comes out and says "I have proof!" they pounced. Now, they didn't have to verify the proof because they knew this thing has been going a long time, they helped set it up.

In the end what I'm saying, is that conservative politicians pander to their base, just like any other politician. It just happens to be that a very large portion of their base are rather xenophobic and really hate that there's a guy with a foreign sounding name in the highest office in the country.

Aren't you a walking liberal cliché. Oh, whats that you say? The CORPORATE media only reports on what it can sell, and the only people buying are the RACIST Republicans. It couldn't be, you know, that people are upset at a unprecedented level of data collecting on ordinary Americans. It has to be because Obama is BROWN!

Your narrative doesn't make a lick of sense.

It must be easier to make wild assumptions instead of actually making a point I guess.Yes, just strawman me as "a liberal cliche" because that's going to lead to an awesome discussion.

Sorry, you're just looking for a fight, not interested.

Ha, I'm having a conversation with someone who thinks criticisms on the President on surveillance issues are largely race driven. I didn't except this conversation to lead to anything "awesome."

Sorry, you're just looking for a fight, not interested.

At this point, I put you into the same category as the people who use the words "Muslim" and "socialist" to describe President Obama. I know I'm not going to convince you of anything regardless of how easy it is demonstrate your narrative as false, however, letting you argue your point is more than enough to show any reasonable person your silliness.

The amount of circular reasoning in your comment is simply astounding.

no u