By Jon Augelli
Many people believe that they don’t need to worry about the recent NSA or CIA surveillance leaks. They think as long as they are not doing anything wrong, they have nothing to fear. The problem is, what is “right” and what is “wrong” depends upon who is listening.
Vault 7 is the most recent batch of classified documents released by Wikileaks. It revealed that the CIA developed numerous hacking tools allowing them to break into computers, smartphones, smart TVs, and modern vehicle control systems. They are able to turn on your device’s camera and microphone without your knowledge of it, and are able to keep them on even after you turn your device off, putting it in a “False Off” mode. The ability to override vehicle control systems was developed with the intention of using it to perform virtually undetectable assassinations. Beyond that, since the CIA does not report these weaknesses to the company, anyone could be exploiting the same code. Worse still, we don’t know if these hacks were leaked to anyone aside from Wikileaks. Using this code, anyone could have the hacking capabilities of the CIA. Who else might have access to this trove of espionage software?
Are you outraged? Are you even paying attention? The erosion of our liberties has reached a tipping point, and most of Americans aren’t even aware of it. Power given ostensibly to increase our national security has only served to increase the security of the entrenched powers and special interests. The endless wars our country has waged have brought violence back from abroad onto our shores, gradually turning our weapons from enemy combatants towards our own citizens. This militarization of the domestic security forces has led to military weapons on our streets, military vehicles (like Bearcats) owned by police departments across America, increased use of SWAT teams, use of drones to police our friends and neighbors, and the turning of our own intelligence agency’s eyes and ears into our homes. And yet, we continue to sit by while the encroachment upon our liberties marches on. We’ve been silent as the TSA has grown ever more invasive while becoming no more effective. Border control checkpoints are now a way of life for many of us. Without realizing it, we have become the enemies the State watches.
The State continues to drift towards authoritarianism. To those worrying that our current president is a fascist who will transform America into a dictatorship: Wake up. Fascism doesn’t happen overnight. It is a gradual accumulation of powers, aided and abetted by a complacent, sometimes celebratory, public. This gradual trend has been happening for decades, and we are all accomplices by virtue of inaction. You say, “It doesn’t matter. I don’t break the law. So what do I care if they can read my emails, or look into my home using my TV?” You need to care. It’s a blatant violation of your right to privacy, a right the government is sworn to protect. Remember the people spying on you are the ones who determine what is “right” and what is “wrong”. Do you feel confident in Trump’s ability to do that? The powers gained under our last president are now in the hands of someone who continues to push the bounds of executive authority. Any power you allow the government to have is a power that could, and likely will, be wielded by your political rival. History shows us political leaders are not always benevolent. Who will gain office next? What will that administration consider right and wrong?
Some people think that the government would never actively abuse power entrusted to it. This is demonstrably untrue. Just a few years ago the IRS gave differential treatment to conservative political organizations, needlessly burdening them with onerous paperwork and questionnaires that were shockingly not required for other organizations. This was a chilling example the government abusing its authority to target innocent groups it disagreed with. The more power you allow them to take, the more power they will have to pick favorites and punish dissenters.
We must reverse this course. We must speak out against this intrusion and subjugation by our government. We’ve forgotten what this country was founded on. We’ve forgotten what it is to be American. Write to your representatives, speak to your friends, and protest these violations of our constitutionally protected rights. Show our legislators that the American spirit is alive within us, and that we demand reform. If they do not give it to us, vote them out of office.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” -Ben Franklin. We have already taken the bait, but we have not yet swallowed the hook. We are dangerously close to that tipping point. If Vault 7 doesn’t mobilize you to action, it may be too late. If you don’t speak up soon, there may be no one left to speak up for you.
Many people believe that they don’t need to worry about the recent NSA or CIA surveillance leaks. They think as long as they are not doing anything wrong, they have nothing to fear. The problem is, what is “right” and what is “wrong” depends upon who is listening.
Vault 7 is the most recent batch of classified documents released by Wikileaks. It revealed that the CIA developed numerous hacking tools allowing them to break into computers, smartphones, smart TVs, and modern vehicle control systems. They are able to turn on your device’s camera and microphone without your knowledge of it, and are able to keep them on even after you turn your device off, putting it in a “False Off” mode. The ability to override vehicle control systems was developed with the intention of using it to perform virtually undetectable assassinations. Beyond that, since the CIA does not report these weaknesses to the company, anyone could be exploiting the same code. Worse still, we don’t know if these hacks were leaked to anyone aside from Wikileaks. Using this code, anyone could have the hacking capabilities of the CIA. Who else might have access to this trove of espionage software?
Are you outraged? Are you even paying attention? The erosion of our liberties has reached a tipping point, and most of Americans aren’t even aware of it. Power given ostensibly to increase our national security has only served to increase the security of the entrenched powers and special interests. The endless wars our country has waged have brought violence back from abroad onto our shores, gradually turning our weapons from enemy combatants towards our own citizens. This militarization of the domestic security forces has led to military weapons on our streets, military vehicles (like Bearcats) owned by police departments across America, increased use of SWAT teams, use of drones to police our friends and neighbors, and the turning of our own intelligence agency’s eyes and ears into our homes. And yet, we continue to sit by while the encroachment upon our liberties marches on. We’ve been silent as the TSA has grown ever more invasive while becoming no more effective. Border control checkpoints are now a way of life for many of us. Without realizing it, we have become the enemies the State watches.
The State continues to drift towards authoritarianism. To those worrying that our current president is a fascist who will transform America into a dictatorship: Wake up. Fascism doesn’t happen overnight. It is a gradual accumulation of powers, aided and abetted by a complacent, sometimes celebratory, public. This gradual trend has been happening for decades, and we are all accomplices by virtue of inaction. You say, “It doesn’t matter. I don’t break the law. So what do I care if they can read my emails, or look into my home using my TV?” You need to care. It’s a blatant violation of your right to privacy, a right the government is sworn to protect. Remember the people spying on you are the ones who determine what is “right” and what is “wrong”. Do you feel confident in Trump’s ability to do that? The powers gained under our last president are now in the hands of someone who continues to push the bounds of executive authority. Any power you allow the government to have is a power that could, and likely will, be wielded by your political rival. History shows us political leaders are not always benevolent. Who will gain office next? What will that administration consider right and wrong?
Some people think that the government would never actively abuse power entrusted to it. This is demonstrably untrue. Just a few years ago the IRS gave differential treatment to conservative political organizations, needlessly burdening them with onerous paperwork and questionnaires that were shockingly not required for other organizations. This was a chilling example the government abusing its authority to target innocent groups it disagreed with. The more power you allow them to take, the more power they will have to pick favorites and punish dissenters.
We must reverse this course. We must speak out against this intrusion and subjugation by our government. We’ve forgotten what this country was founded on. We’ve forgotten what it is to be American. Write to your representatives, speak to your friends, and protest these violations of our constitutionally protected rights. Show our legislators that the American spirit is alive within us, and that we demand reform. If they do not give it to us, vote them out of office.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” -Ben Franklin. We have already taken the bait, but we have not yet swallowed the hook. We are dangerously close to that tipping point. If Vault 7 doesn’t mobilize you to action, it may be too late. If you don’t speak up soon, there may be no one left to speak up for you.
“First, they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out- Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out- Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me- and there was no one left to speak for me.” – Martin Niemoller