On my mind today is how people are freaking out about Donald Trump's comments on databases for Muslims. It is being called unAmerican, a breach of our values, ethics and what we stand for, and profiling.
Apparently the Patriot Act has become so much a part of us, that we dont even recognize when its tenets are being used to condition us to feel one way or another, depending on who wants us to feel this way or that way.
The gist of the Patriot Act was just to formalize and extend "intelligence" stuff under the guise of "national security". Prior to this, we still did it but we didnt talk about it.
It is the digital age. Everything is in a database. Our financial records are scrutinized to make sure we arent doing anything illegal like laundering money for this or that. We cant buy sudafed without it being entered into a database to make sure we arent making crack. Our use of electricity is monitored in case we are using too much cuz we are growing marijuana in our basement. Our purchase of fertilizer is monitored in case we have some evil bomb intent. Our library activity is being monitored in case we are taking out "materials deemed to be of concern". Pick up narcotics at the pharmacy and they scan your license so it goes into a narcotics watch database. I'm sure there is even a database now for flying schools to make sure all student pilots are intent on actually landing the plane.
We have databases for everything. Travel, shopping histories, religious and political affiliations, cell phone use and content, social media content, computer content, search engine topics, GPS tracking...name it and there is a database for it. And, the info gathered is used to make even more databases depending on what the government decides it needs to keep track of and why.
We take the data. We manipulate it. We analyze it. We crunch numbers and make projections (or assumptions and presumptions) and policy emerges. All under the guise of "national security".
How did we make and maintain a no fly list? How does the FBI decide who makes their terrorist watch list? How did we identify the Boston marathon "persons of interest" just from video footage? How did the French know to extend their search for bombing suspects to Belgium? How do we know whether to raise or lower the terror threat colors?
Databases. For everything. Checked. Cross referenced.
Trump didnt invent this. Been going on long before 9/11 too.
Today, Diane Feinstein discussed legislation to strengthen the visa waiver program and prohibit those on terror watchlists from buying firearms or explosives. This is weird. We are concerned about national security but people on the terror watchlists can still buy firearms and explosives? But TSA freaks out about a normal sized bottle of shampoo? There is a disconnect here.
If databases are so unAmerican, a breach of our values and ethics, and profiling, why does the government make them in the first place? If this is all true, then why do citizens embrace the tactics in one situation and denounce them in another? Either they are problematic or they arent. What does it mean when we resort to context in order to decide if something is valid or legitimate? Who determines which context is ok and which isnt and on what basis is THAT decided? How do we know when we are reacting or overreacting to the messenger rather than the message?
Sometimes, it is a relief to be on the downside of life. The days of dealing with nonsense and bullshit is limited.
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