Big Brother Article (make up for seminar)

This article really does show some similarities and differences to 1984.  In the book, the government can tap into anything, not just the people who they deem a threat.  The Thought Police can listen to everyone and control all of their thoughts.  The only connection that I see is that they were spying on people in both cases.

The article deals more with listening to people or groups who are a threat to our country, and actually, I don't have a huge problem with that.  If the government has sizable, true evidence that a group or a person could do harm to the people within the country, I think it's okay to listen to them.  If they are plotting to destroy something, they need to be stopped.  They shouldn't be allowed the freedom of privacy.  In saying that, I think the examples in the article were a little off.  I don't see why the government saw any threat in people handing PB&J sandwiches to people.  I don't see this as a national threat.  They weren't shooting or stabbing anyone.  People do have the right to peaceably assemble.  The anti-war protests, an expression of how they felt, were peaceful too and I don't see how they could be a violent threat.  If they were against killing, I don't think they would kill anyone.

I do think, as the article said, the government group went a little far.  They should be examining credible threats, not the people who want to keep the peace.  1984 and the article were very similar.  The book and article both showed the government spying, but in the book; it was in every aspect of their lives.  The government today is only spying on those who were a threat, in the book, it was every aspect of their lives.  I don't think the government means to invade in our privacy.  They want to keep us safe.