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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe New York Times' prophetic 1983 warning about the NSA
David Burnham, in 1983: THE SILENT POWER OF THE N.S.A.
No laws define the limits of the N.S.A.'s power. No Congressional committee subjects the agency's budget to a systematic, informed and skeptical review. With unknown billions of Federal dollars, the agency purchases the most sophisticated communications and computer equipment in the world. But truly to comprehend the growing reach of this formidable organization, it is necessary to recall once again how the computers that power the N.S.A. are also gradually changing lives of Americans - the way they bank, obtain benefits from the Government and communicate with family and friends. Every day, in almost every area of culture and commerce, systems and procedures are being adopted by private companies and organizations as well as by the nation's security leaders that make it easier for the N.S.A. to dominate American society should it ever decide such action is necessary.
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/27/magazine/the-silent-power-of-the-nsa.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
http://boingboing.net/2013/08/21/the-new-york-times-prophetic.html
scary stuff:
The National Security Agencys capability at any time could be turned around on the American people, and no American would have any privacy left, such is the capability to monitor everything: telephone conversations, telegrams, it doesnt matter. There would be no place to hide. If a dictator ever took over, the N.S.A. could enable it to impose total tyranny, and there would be no way to fight back.
Senator Frank Church (1975)
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The New York Times' prophetic 1983 warning about the NSA (Original Post)
kpete
Aug 2013
OP
Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)1. Power Corrupts...Absolute Power.....
and that
Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)2. We need a new Frank Church... badly!!!
Hydra
(14,459 posts)3. This feels like a pivotal moment
They have sent us the message: "STFU or pay the consequences!"
What will we do now?
snappyturtle
(14,656 posts)4. OMG! This statement:
Every day, in almost every area of culture and commerce, systems and procedures are being adopted by private companies and organizations as well as by the nation's security leaders that make it easier for the N.S.A. to dominate American society should it ever decide such action is necessary.
Necessary?
Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)5. K and R nt