Originally posted by sxecrow
That's not the point. The point of the matter is you have your right to privacy no matter what. If you want to go a park with crowded people and just sit there, you have the right to without fear that HS or someone will come take you away thinking you're a terrorist. You have the right to NOT have your telephone bugged just because you're different that what is "normal". You have your rights to privacy and that was established in our Constitution along with the Freedom of Speech to protest what you feel is wrong. If you can't appreciate that DVP, I dont know what to tell you. If I wanted to create a pattern of suspicious activity, as an American, I have the right to do it. If you gladly open up yourself to the government, you're just letting them control you. I for one will not be controlled. Why do you think we have the right to privacy and all the freedoms in this country? It's to maintain the democracy we so enjoy.
You completely missed the point. The Patriot Act, while flawed in some aspects, does not give anyone the right to infringe on your freedoms for being different or not "normal". I appreciate the fact that I have a right to privacy, I also appreciate the fact that my government is doing something to prevent some terrorist from infringing on my right to live. I fell more secure knowing that my government can aggresively go after suspected terrorist so that they do not fly a plane into, or detonate a car bomb under the building I am now.
If I wanted to create a pattern of suspicious activity, as an American, I have the right to do it.
You certainly do. And the government has every right to crawl up our ass with a fine tooth comb and a microscope. And I have every right to let them know that you are. Why? So that another 9/11 does not happen. And opening up to the government does not mean they control you. Please come join reality. My best friend has a key to my house, does that mean he has the right to come in and do as he pleases whenever he pleases? Can he set up hidden cameras in my house to watch my wife and I unbeknownst to us? Absolutely not. But if he has a reason that he needs to get in he has a key, same reason I have a key to his place. It is the same thing with the government...be a law abiding citizen and you have nothing to worry about. Give the government reason to investigate you to prempt the next terrorist attack on the US and you should expect someone from the Department of HS to knock on your door. Its simple really.