TEACHER NEEDS HELP EXPLAINING THE NSA "SPYING" STORY

1-1-06 | freedom4me

[freedom4me]

I head back to the classroom tomorrow and am looking for a news article that lays out the NSA "spying" story in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. I want to be sure that the article addresses the historical precedent of Presidents using executive orders to initiate wiretaps.

I want to get my kids (junior high and high school) caught up on the news.

Any suggestions?

[Balding_Eagle]

To the best of my knowledge, that subject has never been dicussed here.

Is this how you teach you students to do research? Seesh, no wonder teachers are held in such contempt.

[vbmoneyspender]

1. We are at war.

2. The NSA was listening in on phone calls made by Al Qaeda operatives outside the United States to people who live inside the United States.

3. Al Qaeda operatives have no constitutional rights nor expectations of privacy with respect to phone calls they make to operatives inside the United States.

4. If you are not talking to Al Qaeda operatives, then you have nothing to worry about.

[HarleyLady27]

Easy:

In order to protect all of us Americans the NSA listens to terrorist phone conversations....mind you 'TERRORIST' and the press or media (who think they run this country) spilled the beans to the TERRORISTS and now its got our Country (AMERICA) in serious problems of protection....

I think they can understand that, did you?

[yer gonna put yer eye out]

Pardon me saying so, but if you're a teacher, shouldn't "research" be one of your functions?

[operation clinton cleanup]

Here is a link to what it was NOT!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1550292/posts

[HHKrepublican_2]

Any Suggestions?

First use the TIMES story, and then get something more credible, like WSJ, Post or something not trying to nail Bush, and have them cross reference... Either that or type up a breif yourself

[CondorFlight]

Try Captain's Quarters, Power Line, and Michelle Malkin
(and see their archives).

Basically, the President has the Constitutional authority to defend the US against foreign enemies.
If spying on them comes under that heading (and most court rulings have been that it does), then what Bush did is OK.

[antceecee]

There is some interesting analysis at MichelleMalkin.com
I think it's great for you to broach this subject with your students. Too many of them get their news from Comedy Central.

[redpoll]

I'm a teacher up here in Alaska. I don't know about any source material, but I do have a suggestion about approach. All wars have spies and attempts at intercepting communication between enemy combatants or terrorists. It would be great to place this current situation in an historical context instead of a political one. (I don't know where your school district is located, but this is also a good way to avoid repurcussions from angry parents, students, or colleagues.)

Just off the top of my head, I'm thinking about Benedict Arnold and Nathan Hale from the Revolutionary War; the WYZ Affair at the end of the 18th century; I would imagine that there was all sorts of interesting interceptions of communication during the Civil War; Mati Hari; the Enigma Code (?????, sorry, not sure of the proper terms) and the Navajo Codetalkers (???) during World War II; the use of wiretaps by the FBI to break up the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Panthers.

I don't know how sophisticated your kids are, but after that, you can send them off with specific direction to websites or info about the ways that communication intercepts were used by Carter, Reagan, Clinton, to fight various bad guys.

Good luck!

[Robert A Cook PE]

I disagree: If (and given the notorious prejudice and incompetancwe of the US MSM) the true story is NOT available (and in breaking news, there IS no "research" available OTHER than the Internet) then WHERE ELSE would a teacher go for accurate information?

See, usually I would be able to say "have them look up (),(.),(..),(...),(....) in the library or even on-line.

But WHERE is the accurate information nowdays, if not here in a moderated, well-founded website that attracts hundreds of thousands of eyes every day? Further, this website - by encouraging comment, correction, and feedback THAT THE MSM REFUSES TO ADMIT is required! - IS more accurate than ANY MSM source.

[Humidston]

If I was in your shoes, I'd slide in subtly. I'd ask the class how THEY might fight the WOT if they were in President Bush's shoes. Have them brainstorm how they could thwart OBL directing/contacting sleeper cells in the U.S.

They'll surely make a connection, at which point you can drop the moab by explaining how he is already protecting us from foreign attacks.

Lead, then hook. Then ask them to name a better system.

[redpoll]

Should be the XYZ Affair. Bad editing.

[Robert A Cook PE]

When the British broke the German Codes in WWI, AND PRINTED the memo from Germany to Mexico inviting Mexico to "reclaim" the southern parts of the US including TX, NM, AZ, and CA, the "spying" was a vital part of the US entry into WWI.

And THAT entry saved Britian in that war when Germany attacked in mid-1918!

[Eagles Talon IV]

A bit harsh here, aren't you? What exactly is wrong with getting information from a wide variety of sources such as are available here? Someone will point her in the direction of the congressional authorization given Bush to fight terrorism as well as the wording of the Patriot Act.

There is no difference between getting her info here by reading from a post then to google it and read it somewhere else, is there?

[C210N]

Tag line says it all...

[Redleg Duke]

Really nice help you gave there. You must be so proud.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

You have gotten some great guidance from the Freepers on this site, but you should also consider telling your students that history shows the value of good and accurate intelligence. A government or leader of our government that would not seek all the information necessary to protect the country, is not doing his/her job. It is important for your students to study the lessons of history which prove that GW Bush and his administration being proactive and legal in intelligence gathering is right on the money. All of the great nations and powers of the world have never been beaten by "outside" enemies, only by the traitors from within, such as the current Democrat "Traitor/Treason Party. I hope the American people wake up in time and destroy this party to its core!!!

[don-o]

Suggestion? Yeah. Get out of the classroom and find another line of work.

Good grief. You have a computer on line. Is their some reason others should do your prep?