Should I be Fearful?

Who Do You Fear?

Paranoia, Phones and Phobias

I firmly believe that paranoia is not always a bad trait; in fact it may be good in some instances.

Some people fear nothing, some fear everything. There are people who cannot function in the normal world because of their fear and paranoia. There must be a reasonable middle ground.

If you didn’t have some paranoia and fear wash over your conscience, midmorning of Sept. 11, 2001, you had to have been one of those that was born on the wrong side of the womb. No human being could watch a live television newcast showing fellow humans jumping from the burning inferno of a high-rise building, and not have fear and paranoia creep into their soul. Of course this is exactly what the terrorist’s wanted. But today I am thankful that time has brought some paranoia into these same brutes life. Good, I hope every time they see a soldier involved in fighting the war on terror, they tremble in their sandals.
I don’t want to talk about that horrible day, but what I do want to talk about is related in many ways.

Some people claim that when walking through a high-crime area, it is best to look relaxed and unafraid. I disagree. I can only tell you that our brave soldiers in harms way don’t patrol the streets of Baghdad, relaxed and unafraid. Having talked with many of our countries warriors, they all acknowledge that they are scared to some degree while in a war zone. I see no merit in the plan of being relaxed and unafraid when in harms way. I think perhaps that theory was put forth by the thieves and thugs who wish to prey on other citizens. If I am paranoid about my surroundings I am looking closer and paying attention to what is happening around me. So in my opinion cautious paranoia can be useful.

Some neocons and libertarians, display considerable paranoia about the government. I contend that this paranoia is good in most cases, but bordering on the ridiculous in a lot of other scenarios.
To prove my point I will share one danger many people fear, in fact believe will doom us all, and then calmly I will blow holes in this theory.
I have heard many people complaining about the Justice Department, and particularly about the now departed John Ashcroft, bemoaning that there were plans to expand the government’s ability to listen to and monitor or even tape our phone conversations. They always used the argument that went something like this: “Would you want the government listening to all of your conversations? Would you want the government to know everything you say on the phone?

I would always try to reason with these people that were so concerned, explaining that law-abiding citizens would have nothing to fear. After a snicker and even a laugh, the person would usually say something like. “That is too much power for the government to have, they don’t have the right to know everything about everyone.”

I argue that the government and law enforcement agencies DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW ONE BASIC THING ABOUT YOU; ARE YOU THE ONE WHO COMMITTED A CRIME THEY WANT TO SOLVE? or ARE YOU PLOTTING ANOTHER 9-11 TYPE ATTACK?

Sadly, we as citizens give very little help to our law enforcement agents; in fact we hinder more than we help. Oh, but let a crime touch our life, and wow do we ever complain and grip that the police are not doing enough to catch the ‘perps.’

Perhaps I should never have raised this issue. Should you be concerned about government abuse of power? Why of course you should be, but why in the world would we want to deny our defenders the right to listen to the phone calls of the bad guys. You know the bad guys, as in the ones who plot to kill our citizens, disrupt our economy and bring down our country. The ACLU will take a different view than the average citizen, nothing new there; the ACLU has nothing to do about America or Civil Liberties. They are here to bring about the end of America as we enjoy it today. Look around, be paranoid, but paranoid of the real enemy……..Terrorists and The ACLU lawyers that defend them in our courts.

Read whole article at

http://sanitybluff.blogspot.com/2005/06/who-do-you-fear.html

Why of course you should be, but why in the world would we want to deny our defenders the right to listen to the phone calls of the bad guys. You know the bad guys, as in the ones who plot to kill our citizens, disrupt our economy and bring down our country.

I have no problem with the good guys listening in to the conversations or reading the Emails of the bad guys. I do have a problem with abuse of power – as when the FBI used covert surveillance against those they consider a threat to the political status quo. Examples include the civil rights and anti-war movements. With all the covert intercepts, how many cases did they bring to trial? In the case of the civil rights movement, all that comes to mind in an attempt to blackmail Martin L. King.
Not everyone in law enforcement or intelligence is of sterling character.

I know exactly what you are saying and are worried about. We have a smaller percentage of bad guys pretending to be good guys......then the really bad guys do..
Did you follow that convoluted sentence?
Anyway, I wish the enemy would be forced to play by the proper rules.....they won't, we can't do anything about it.

Too bad they didn't have a ICLU, Islamic Civil Liberties Union.....

We have a smaller percentage of bad guys pretending to be good guys......then the really bad guys do..
Did you follow that convoluted sentence?

Not hard to follow – but I am more concerned with losing America to the “Personal Safety at any Price” people than I am about losing it to terrorists.

Is this what we want?

Is this what we want? Funny you would post a cartoon such as you did. I have a small city wildlife area, organic herb garden and a haven for birds of all sorts. They are not in the peverbial birdcage, but they have some real problems. I love birds so I have no cats, but all of the neighborhood cats come here to hunt for birds. They are not very successful, because they are more prepared for their enemy...cats...

Or are they?

While the birds avoid the cats for the most part, I have witnessed many birds being snatched out of the air, by hawks. They avoided the cats, but one of their own killed and ate them. Believe me, it is no pretty sight to see a hawk tearing the smaller bird apart. And they consume their meal on the ground in plain view of the neighborhood cats, who won't attack them at all.

I have no idea what all of this means. Surely their is a lesson in it somewhere.

I have no idea what all of this means. Surely their is a lesson in it somewhere.

There will always be hazards in life – the only really safe existence is in the birdcage – but what happens if the keeper forgets the feed and water?
In our case, what happens if our keepers (Uncle Sam) slips up, once we are used to being completely dependant on him.