With the media finally starting to report about the massive invasions of American privacy by the US Government, Obama made his first public statement since the news of the Verizon warrant broke.
I was saddened by his comments.
In perspective, when being oppressed by a King, Benjamin Franklin wrote:
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
When question why the US Government is spying and collecting data on US Citizens, Obama stated:
It’s important to recognize that you can’t have 100 percent security and also then have 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience.
How far we’ve come.
It’s important… I say it is important that we realize what this information can lead to. If we take what the government tells us, that they are not listening to our calls — only collecting data… if we take this at face value…
Our government is still collecting tremendous data about us. Such as:
- who you call
- who calls you
- your location
- and more
What can this lead to? Malte Spitz tells it best. PLEASE watch this video:
Malte Spitz asked his cell phone carrier what it knew about him–and mapped what he found out.
Updated 2013-06-08:
Back in 2009, I posted about the lack of transparency in the administration; despite the promise to be “unprecedented” in government openness.
This was back when the government was doing a buy back on older cars without providing the taxpayer any accounting of the program.
Today, in response to the leaks of the government collecting personal data on millions of Americans, the Obama administration “is invoking an obscure legal privilege to avoid judicial scrutiny.“