FRONTLINE - THE UNITED STATES OF SECRETS PART 2

This is the second part of the PBS's Frontline investigative series on mass surveillance in America.

FRONTLINE UNITED STATES OF SECRETS PART 2
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5

Part two of this documentary tells the story of corporations and surveillance. The first thing of interest to me is how many internet providers, phone companies, and internet search engine companies are willing help the government giving much of the information they acquire. Second is none of them are willing to say no, that it is unconstitutional to give information about people. If corporations are people then aren't they also giving up their right to privacy as well. Third was even when these companies cooperated with the government it isn't enough and they would "hack" their system to get more information. These were the key things too me. To say the NSA has overreached is an understatement. But of course they still use fear. Fear that another attack will happen so of course they have to acquire everyone's information. It's ridiculous.

SWORD ART ONLINE

I can't believe I haven't wrote a post on Sword Art Online before. I've been slacking at the writing part of this blog. Not that I've been writing much at all.

Anyways, Sword Art Online is a damn good anime and story. It takes place in the near future. In this future virtual reality is basically a norm for gaming. The newest system is called NervGear. NervGear allows the user to have a full immersive gameplay experience. On day one gamers go into the game Sword Art Online it is a day of celebration for gamers. The jubilation is short lived at sundown when many gamers realize they can't leave the game. The story is about those trap in this Massive Multiple Player Online Game fighting to survive by the rules of the game on the inside. While they worry what is happening to their bodies in the "real" world".

If you are a gamer or not you will enjoy this story. Check out the first two episode.

Episode 1
Episode 2


If you want to see more you can watch it on hulu or at cruncyroll.

FRONTLINE - UNITED STATE OF SECRETS

If you want real investigative reporting on events happening in America I suggest you go to PBS Frontline. They take the time to get facts. They also will give in-depth accounts about a story you will not hear or at least not get a full description on from twenty four hour news.

FRONTLINE UNITED STATES OF SECRETS (PART 1)
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2 >
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8

Part one of this documentary tells the story after 911 in America. How fear lead those in the Bush administration to create "The Program" a National Security Agency operation to spy on American citizens. For decades the NSA by law and protocol would only spy on foreign services. The Bush administration would use half truth, faulty legal standing, and war powers to create and keep this unconstitutional and illegal system.

It also talks about the NSA and intelligence committee individuals that struggle with what they knew was wrong and how they wanted or did bring the program to the press and public view.

President Obama ran against these same programs but when Bush put before congress legislation to make the program law he voted for it as Senator. Then as President months later did nothing to pull back the program from spying on Americans. Everyone has the same fear. What if you take this system away and there is another 911? If I stop this and it happens my Presidency is over or hurt severely. People will die and it will be my fault.

It a simple situation in my eyes. The right to privacy is constitutional. People died to make this a law. To make it a right of the people. If people have to die to keep it law then so be it. One has to make a choice either privacy law matters even if others can use it to hurt you or it doesn't. If it doesn't then let the NSA spy on whomever but don't lie to yourself that you live in the same America anymore. You don't live in a constitutional America at that point. You live in an authoritarian America. Where those in power decide what is law and what isn't.

However my thinking changes on this if the people in question are not citizens of America. It doesn't matter if they are on American soil or not. They don't get the same constitutional protections at least I don't believe they should.