Slashdot Mirror
How has the USA PATRIOT Act Affected You?
wetdogjp asks: "October 26th, 2004 marked the third anniversary of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (or USA PATRIOT Act, as it is more commonly known). While the Slashdot crowd can certainly muster the enthusiasm to debate its pro's and con's, I'd like to know: How has the USA PATRIOT Act affected you, personally? How has it interfered with your personal and professional life? Has this act influenced your Presidential vote?"
It hasn't really affected me. I do hear some clicking in my phone every time I talk on it, but I think that's just the phoneline.
As Americans, we are responsible for perpetuating our civil liberties. According to your response, we shouldn't exhibit concern for the 0.1% of Americans that have been affected. That complacency would merely encourage the legislators to enact additional laws, and those laws would eventually affect 100% of the American population.
Do you like German cars?
#!/bin/sh
;;
;;
case $Election_Outcome in
Kerry )
echo "The Patriot Act has had a significant impact on my life. Some of it has been indirect, like the Wiccan friend (who was my friend before she was even Wiccan) in another part of the country who warned me that knowing her might jepoardize my clearance...it already had for some of her other friends. And the only reason why is because of her affiliation with a Wiccan coven. I'd point out that the Supreme Court has ruled that Wicca is a valid religion, and that covens are eligible for tax-exempt status as such."
Bush )
"Ah, the glorious Patriot Act! It has done nothing but brought cheer and happiness to me since it was first conceived. My papers are in order, ja?"
esac
For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
First they came for the smokersBR> and I did not speak out--because I was not a smokers.
Then they came for the red meat eaters
and I did not speak out--because I was not a red meat eater.
Then they came for the drinkers
and I did not speak out--because I was not a drinker.
Then they came for me--
and I said "Do whatever you want. I've been eating bean sprouts and drinking Soy milk for three years and I'm ready to jump in front of a Bus."
Agent Alice: How's the covert electronic suveillance of Slashnerd 172441 going Agent Bob?
Agent Bob: Mostly just harmless anti-government raving Agent Alice. Chances of this dork ever belonging to any sort of revolutionary or terrorist group are pretty fucking slim I'd say. He'd fucking bore them to tears and they'd take him out and execute him themselves. I mean Jesus Christ he even encrypts his goddamned grocery list. He encrypts his personal journal. Like he needs to. Anyone reading it would stop from sheer boredom after a couple of paragraphs. The only thing that keeps me from shoving my Glock in my mouth and blowing my brains out is the porn. He may be a boring dork but at least he has plenty of stolen pornsite passwords. I run his packets though a filter and it snags out the images and video/audio streams and dumps them to a folder for me to peruse. Saves me from having to go find the stuff on my own.
Agent Alice: Pretty clever there Agent Bob since you're getting paid to monitor the subject rather than surf for porn. I bet you even named the folder 'Evidence' or someting like that didn't you.
Agent Bob: Of course I did.
Agent Alice: *chuckles* Keep up the good wood... er I mean work Agent Bob.