Homeland Security opening private mail (It Just Doesn't STOP)

[kpete]

Homeland Security opening private mail
Retired professor confused, angered when letter from abroad is opened
Brock N. Meeks
Chief Washington correspondent



WASHINGTON - In the 50 years that Grant Goodman has known and corresponded with a colleague in the Philippines he never had any reason to suspect that their friendship was anything but spectacularly ordinary.

But now he believes that the relationship has somehow sparked the interest of the Homeland Security Department and led the agency to place him under surveillance.

Last month Goodman, an 81-year-old retired University of Kansas history professor, received a letter from his friend in the Philippines that had been opened and resealed with a strip of dark green tape bearing the words “by Border Protection” and carrying the official seal of the Department of Homeland Security.

“I had no idea (Homeland Security) would open personal letters,” Goodman told MSNBC.com in a phone interview. “That’s why I alerted the media. I thought it should be known publicly that this is going on,” he said. Goodman originally showed the letter to his own local newspaper, the Kansas-based Lawrence Journal-World.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10740935/

[Fla Dem]

1. Start ratting on your neighbors, here comes the Brown Shirts. n/t

[rodeodance]

2. umm...

[rodeodance]

3. WH always says evesdroppings limited to bad guys. what does it mean

now that mail is opened.

[mom cat]

12. Bush is frightened of an 81 year old man with a pen pal!...SICK!

[Dudley_DUright]

19. and a 4 year old toddler

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/01/06.html#a6597

[mom cat]

21. Chicken hawks have no courage at all!

[Double T]

4. Freedoms and Rights are NOT maintained by taking them away.......

time for regime change of the existing dictatorship in America.

[Autumn Colors]

5. LOL - bet they're watching my mail!

1) I was an AFS exchange student to Tehran, Iran in 1978 and have maintained regular contact with my host family members (some still in Iran, some in the USA) ... although in recent years, this communication has been 100% by email
2) I used to write to penpals all over the world as a kid and my "Soviet" penpal in Russia and I started a US/Soviet penpal exchange organization in 1989 that still exists to this day. My PO Box gets mail from all of the former Soviet republics ... including places like Chechnya, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, etc.
3) Oh yeah, and I'm a DU member

For the record, though, I haven't received any opened letters from the former USSR countries in many, many years. My first letters to my Russian penpal in the late 1970's always arrived open and sometimes had parts of the letter blacked out, but that was during the Soviet era, so one would hope the censoring had been done in her country.
-----
EDIT: My LOL isn't really a comment on how serious I think the situation is, but more that if they're watching a retired history teacher writing to another history teacher, then they must be watching my mail.

[madokie]

11. Welcome to the DU universe

I bet you got some stories to tell, I just wish I could live life over and be a little more 'worldly', for the lack of a better word. myself Oklahoma, California, Vietnam. I'd love to go back to Vietnam today, it had such potential.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. Neat you've been to Vietnam

I've only been to Canada, Bahama islands, Free Port and Mexico.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. It's so shameful

My church does a program where they send Bible lessons to people in other countries. I used to write to one girl for a little while. I don't remember anything suspecious. I think it was an island country. I can't remember though since it didn't last too long. Don't know why, I guess I got so busy with school and keeping up since I wasn't always the best student and all that. But it's so sad your government is watching you. *sigh*

[LSK]

6. K&R

[rodeodance]

7. Live Vote: Should U.S. be allowed to open personal mail?

“I was shocked and there was a certain degree of disbelief in the beginning,” Goodman said when he noticed the letter had been tampered with, adding that he felt his privacy had been invaded. “I think I must be under some kind of surveillance.”

Goodman is no stranger to mail snooping; as an officer during World War II he was responsible for reading all outgoing mail of the men in his command and censoring any passages that might provide clues as to his unit’s position. “But we didn’t do it as clumsily as they’ve done it, I can tell you that,” Goodman noted, with no small amount of irony in his voice. “Isn’t it funny that this doesn’t appear to be any kind of surreptitious effort here,” he said.

The letter comes from a retired Filipino history professor; Goodman declined to identify her. And although the Philippines is on the U.S. government’s radar screen as a potential spawning ground for Muslim-related terrorism, Goodman said his friend is a devout Catholic and not given to supporting such causes.

Click to vote

Live Vote: Should U.S. be allowed to open personal mail?

[AngryOldDem]

32. 81% No; 18% Yes

While I am gratified at the overwhelming "No," I am deeply disturbed that there is a small base of support for this. It doesn't take an overwhelming majority to form the groundswell the government needs to take back all of our rights and make the Constitution nothing more than a piece of Charmin.

How anyone can justify this outrageousness is beyond me. But, as I believe Andy Rooney has said, there is ALWAYS a good reason to give up your rights. But once they're gone, they're gone.

I also have to wonder what "The Greatest Generation," such as the professor who was spied upon, must make of all of this. They have to be asking themselves, "Is THIS what we fought and died and sacrificed for 60 years ago? Why did we bother?" We have truly met the enemy...and they are us.

[Mme. Defarge]

43. As a "boomer"

I can't begin to express my shock, dismay and horror that our republic could be lost on our watch.

[rodeodance]

8. "the agency can, will and does open mail coming to U.S. citizens"

whow.



......A spokesman for the Customs and Border Protection division said he couldn’t speak directly to Goodman’s case but acknowledged that the agency can, will and does open mail coming to U.S. citizens that originates from a foreign country whenever it’s deemed necessary.

“All mail originating outside the United States Customs territory that is to be delivered inside the U.S. Customs territory is subject to Customs examination,” says the CBP Web site. That includes personal correspondence. “All mail means ‘all mail,’” said John Mohan, a CBP spokesman, emphasizing the point.

“This process isn’t something we’re trying to hide,” Mohan said, noting the wording on the agency’s Web site. “We’ve had this authority since before the Department of Homeland Security was created,” Mohan said.

[rodeodance]

10. "whenever it’s deemed necessary" so they say.

[journalist3072]

30. Do they truly think that

If someone within our country has ties to a terrorist in another country, that they would be exchaning information via postal mail like that?

I doubt that is the terrorists preferred method of communication. So DHS is so off base on this.

[lazarus]

13. They've had this authority for a long time

It's just the way the law is worded. We need to change it to just packages.

I understand the need to search packages. But letters? Without a warrant, I say no.

[Beelzebud]

9. Go back to bed America, your government is in control!

YOU ARE FREE TO DO AS WE TELL YOU!

[LibDemAlways]

14. I have a friend who has a

high level security clearance. He's supposed to report to his employer every time he has a contact with a non US citizen. In Southern California that theoretically could mean having to report a dozen contacts a day - everyone from the gardener to the dry cleaner to his kid's best friend's parents. All meaningless bullshit, but it keeps a whole bunch of "security personnel" employed.

Opening people's private correspondence is like opening already x-rayed, tested for explosives suitcases at airports. Unconstitutional government voyeurism run amok.

[burythehatchet]

15. Friggin octagenarians - why do they hate America? nt

[converted_democrat]

18. I had a package of mine opened... It was a couple months back..

I wrote about it here on DU.. I'm going to go look for it in the archives unless there is too much traffic.. It was a domestic small package, and it was sent by Ben & Jerry's group.. I was really pissed about it, but I bought the story that it was "accidentally" opened. I knew something was wrong because it looked like it had been opened with a letter opener or a box cutter.. It was cut straight across the top. I wrote about it here on DU.. I thought I was paranoid as hell.. Now it seems I was right.

[PDJane]

20. Remind me again............

why I'm not supposed to regard the US as a fascist country.

[tavalon]

36. Because "they" don't want you to n/t

[rmcnnlly]

47. Karl Rove acting out his Roots....raised by Grandpa Roverer?

did you know that Karl Roves real name is Roverer and his grandfather was a Gauleiler in Hitler's Germany? No joke

[DarkTirade]

22. Isn't that like... a federal crime?

Bush's plan to stop the terrorists: They hate us for our freedoms, so one by one, we'll take them away. Then they won't hate us anymore!

[DRoseDARs]

39. First thing that came to mind: Mail Theft per the US Postal Service...

http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/mailthft.htm

[DarkTirade]

41. I work at UPS

and I know I'd get fired and/or arrested for tampering with any packages because we follow the same rules as the postal office.

[Rose Siding]

23. K&R This man was an officer in WWII

You're right: It Just Doesn't Stop :(

Goodman is no stranger to mail snooping; as an officer during World War II he was responsible for reading all outgoing mail of the men in his command and censoring any passages that might provide clues as to his unit’s position. “But we didn’t do it as clumsily as they’ve done it, I can tell you that,” Goodman noted, with no small amount of irony in his voice. “Isn’t it funny that this doesn’t appear to be any kind of surreptitious effort here,” he said.

[texpatriot2004]

24. Welcome to Nazi Germany folks nm

[Vinca]

25. I'm headed off to a campaign rally/town meeting this afternoon

with Bernie Sanders and Russ Feingold. I had planned to ask about the Medicare drug plan fiasco, but I think I'll bring this up. This is totally outrageous.

[Lautremont]

26. Well, he's a professor. He needs to be watched very closely

lest he spread some of his liberal ideas and fancy thinkin'. This can lead to dissent.

Fun living in one of those future-dystopia novels, isn't it?

[williesgirl]

27. We need to rate this story high at msnbc n/t

[thefool_wa]

28. This is abhorrent

While I know that this type of thing pre-dates BushCo, I still can't believe it is happening.

What makes me most suspicious is this:

“This process isn’t something we’re trying to hide,” Mohan said, noting the wording on the agency’s Web site. “We’ve had this authority since before the Department of Homeland Security was created,” Mohan said.
However, Mohan declined to outline what criteria are used to determine when a piece of personal correspondence should be opened, but said, “obviously it’s a security-related criteria.”

Its not something they are trying to keep a secret, but we aren't going to tell you what our criteria is? Yeah, because if they told us they would be accountable for it and would not be able to just open whatever they want "fishing" for Al-Queda or whatever.

I hope whoever conducts this type of thing gets a kick out of reading people's personal mail. Oh and I hope they enjoy all the ice water they can get now, because there will be no ice water in hell.

Fascist, evil, no good....<fade to mumbles>

[journalist3072]

29. Big Brother to the highest degree. It just doesn't stop.

Definitely kicked and nominated!

[Joey Liberal]

31. King George Bush (KGB) hates OUR freedoms

KGB has declared war on Americans.

[tdcc]

33. no permission required

Homeland Security does it ALL without permission.

I just went to Tokyo and had my bag searched at Narita airport. The thing is, they ASKED me if they could there. And they did it with me watching. Once I got to the hotel in Tokyo, I opened my bag and noticed a "Homeland Security" card inside saying they had opened my bag at one of the US airports for a random search. At least they left their calling card *sigh*

But the absolute worst are the nazis in police uniform that run the passport/customs booths. I come back to the US and these guys start playing the good cop/bad cop routine. Only there is no "good cop" if you catch my drift. They are the permanent asshole types. Young kids in uniform who seem pissed at the fact they are stuck collecting customs forms all day long when they would rather be out beating people over the head with their nightstick or something. I felt like I was on trial the entire time I was being interrogated. "I see you are bringing tea cups into the US?" "Uhm, yes. It's a gift." "Mind telling me what kind of paint they used?" etc.

[DarkTirade]

37. Yeah, I was a bit surprised when I got to my destination...

and found all of my clothes neatly folded. Then I saw the little note there. :)
Mental note: next time, bring a few extra pairs of DIRTY underwear on the plane with me. On top of everything else.

[Marr]

34. Nope! Nothing like Hitler. So stop saying that!

[Imagevision]

35. The wimpy Dem Senators need to go to work on this bullshit...!

we can't do anything until we get back either the house or senate I keep reading...!

[Buns_of_Fire]

38. So, uhhh... where can one pick some of these green stickers?

The correspondence in this envelope has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security

"We're doing a heckuva job" (tm)

They could wind up being more popular than Easter Seals! :evilgrin:

[Vinca]

40. I handed Russ Feingold a copy of this story,

but there was such a mob at the event I didn't have time to discuss it. Wow! What a great event! It was the kickoff of Bernie Sanders' campaign for the Senate. It was a thrill to meet both Bernie and Sen. Feingold. If our other like-minded officials had a tenth of their enthusiasm and will, we'd have nothing to worry about.

[nofoil]

42. 81 means EVIL!

81 years old? Hmmm... Well it all adds up. You see, a fellow of his age has lived through the times of Mao, the Holocaust, Stalin, Elvis (and his pelvis), the birth of women's movement (which St. Rush has told us is quite evil), and a handful of rather large wars, so of COURSE he would be a threat to national security. He might just be the guy responsible for all of the above. It's a good thing the NSA found him. Now all our nation's patriotic and blond children may sleep soundly as their parents bask in the greatness of our halloWed and sagely leaders, who care only for the very best for this great and mighty land.

[savemefromdumbya]

44. I think it is called incompetence! just look at FEMA

Homeland security bosses should be fired

[Gronk Groks]

45. With 50327 Responses it is 17% Fascists and 83% Democratic.

I mean how else you would characterize the 17% who would sell their soul (Or anyone else's) for shrub's chance to become a true dictator...

In 2006 it will be decided if we will have a 2nd American (un)Civil War. Buy your guns and ammo now.

[rmcnnlly]

46. Homeland Security is a front to deprive us of our Consitutional Freedoms

Were the Japanes a permanent threat? Were the Nazi's a permanent threat?? Then why does Bush want to enact parts of the (Un)Patriot Acts as permanent? Pretty soon, anyone who doesn't think the way the Bush-ites, the CFR cronies will deem us a Terrorist threat and we will be subject to search and seizure without warrants. God help us! I think we actually have a TERRORIST in the White House.

[mwooldri]

48. It's been in places for years and years and years....

Any time I have gone to the Post Office - be it in the US or in the UK, I had been advised on a number of occasions (not every one but on a number of them) that the contents may be opened by customs. I have had a number of packages opened, not by Homeland Security, but by Agricultural inspectors. Probably my parents were smuggling in killer Cadbudy chocolate from England.

Tis a bit stupid for Homeland Security to suppose that correspondence between a WWII vet and a Fillipino would result in a terrorist attack but then things had been ham-fisted. For a good time after 9/11/2001, I was advised often by postal workers to put customs forms on correspondence!

Mark.

[tirechewer]

49. Not only is it wrong....

Not only is it wrong to begin with, the arrogance of it is just stunning. They open it, they stick green tape all over it and then say, "Look, it's on this website so, no problem."

I don't care what someone is sticking on a website, I have always heard that there is a long existing federal law against tampering with someone's mail. It's like much of the other stuff that Bush is doing. He doesn't care if there's a law against any particular activity, he just does what he wants.

There was a quote attributed to him a while back by a source that some of the bloggers I follow found to be not altogether reliable, but the quote rang true. It was supposedly leaked by a Bush staffer who was dismayed when Bush had a tantrum when he was told that there was a problem with the constitutionality of unauthorized wiretapping he was doing. He supposedly shouted, "The Constitution is just a piece of paper."

I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt then, which was a mistake I won't make again.