Post 9/11 Spying - Who is the real target?

On September 11th, 2001, the United States was forever changed. Unfortunately, this change extended far beyond the tragic loss of life and destruction of property that day. In the name of national security, our government began to erode citizens’ civil liberties with the passage of a number of massive surveillance and domestic spy programs. Let’s explore a few of these programs and their impacts on civil liberties in America.

The Patriot Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush shortly after 9/11 with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans. The law made significant changes to U.S. surveillance laws, allowing for increased surveillance of American citizens without their knowledge or consent. It also expanded the FBI's powers to search homes and businesses without a court order and allowed for indefinite detentions without trial or charges being filed against individuals suspected of terrorism-related activities. These powers were so broad that they even allowed the government to access medical records or library records without first obtaining a warrant from a court or informing the person whose records are being accessed.

In addition to expanding its surveillance powers through the Patriot Act, the National Security Agency (NSA) implemented a massive domestic spying program which allowed them to collect phone calls, emails, texts and other communications data from millions of Americans without their knowledge or consent. This program was exposed by Edward Snowden in 2013, revealing that it had been operating in secret for over a decade despite growing concerns about its legality.

The Patriot Act codified secret laws, allowed warrantless wiretaps of Americans, and sanctioned government access to medical records, library records and other personal records without probable cause. This is an outrageous violation of our fundamental constitutional rights that our Founding Fathers fought so hard to secure for us. Sweeping powers granted by the act created a national surveillance state which eroded basic freedoms such as freedom of speech and freedom from unreasonable searches and allowed for unjustified expansions in executive power, such as authorization for indefinite detention without trial. Many provisions in the act were vague enough to allow for broad interpretations by law enforcement agencies, thus leaving Americans with little protection from government surveillance. We must not accept a society where citizens are presumed criminals unless proven otherwise and subjected to intrusive searches simply because they choose to exercise their right to travel.

The expansion of these domestic spy programs has coincided with an increase in overseas military operations conducted without Congressional approval or oversight. The Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) passed shortly after 9/11 has been used as justification for wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and beyond with no clear end in sight despite growing public concern about their legality under international law or their efficacy in making us safer at home or abroad.

Since 9/11 our freedoms have been steadily eroded as our government has expanded its domestic surveillance capabilities while simultaneously conducting overseas wars without any clear objectives or oversight. While some argue that this is necessary to keep us safe from terrorists threats both at home and abroad, these measures violate our Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures while doing little to actually protect us from attack. As we continue to grapple with these issues it is important that we remain vigilant in protecting our freedoms while still ensuring our safety from those who wish us harm. Promises of security have long been a tactic by governments to supersede their constitutional authority and oppress their populations and loot its taxpayer.

The revelations made in the recent Twitter files releases have served to further underscore the deep levels of government corruption that have become increasingly commonplace in recent years. From the FBI colluding with private industry to silence Americans' First Amendment right to free speech and interfere in elections, to the NSA's vast domestic spying program which collects millions of Americans' communications data without their knowledge or consent, it is clear that our fundamental constitutional rights are being violated on a daily basis.

Moreover, these violations of our constitutional rights are being done with impunity by government agencies who appear immune from any form of accountability or oversight. This has resulted in a situation where people's privacy is being infringed upon with little regard for how this affects their lives or how it can be used against them. It is becoming increasingly apparent that those who are entrusted with protecting our freedoms and liberties are instead wielding them as a weapon against us.

The consequences for individuals whose rights have been violated due to these actions by government agencies can be devastating. There have been reports of U.S citizens whose employment contracts have been terminated due to their political beliefs; people who have faced harassment and intimidation at work as a result of their political views; and other individuals who have had their social media accounts suspended without warning due to expressing opinions which go against the mainstream narrative. We cannot forget the Lois Lerner IRS which targeted the political opponents of the current White House Administration with tax audits.

The same goes for foreign nationals living in the United States who face constant surveillance and threats of deportation if they fail to comply with government requests or if they are deemed too outspoken in expressing their opinions. This type of oppressive behavior by governments serves only to undermine public trust in institutions meant to protect citizens' rights and freedoms while reinforcing an environment of fear and distrust amongst those who do not conform to existing power structures.

Government corruption is nothing new, but what makes it particularly dangerous today is its ability to reach deep into the everyday lives of ordinary citizens through digital technologies such as social media, search engines and algorithms which can track and monitor individual behavior online. In light of this, it has never been more important for us to demand greater transparency from those we elect into office and hold them accountable.