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A comment on NSA morale down after Edward Snowden revelations, former U.S. officials say. Parent comment

Re:NSA morale down after Edward Snowden revelations, former ... by RexRollman on Sunday December 08, 2013 @12:31PM (#6870343)
I, too, personally believe that many of the people who are proponents of greater government surveillance really are trying to protect the country. The problem is that there is no safety exception rule built into the Constitution and it should be the people, not the government, who gets to decide if we should trade freedom for safety.

I also find it disturbing that we would ask those who serve in the military to risk life and limb to protect our freedoms, only to have those freedoms given away by the civilians at home in the name of safety. Freedom is dangerous and carries inherent risks, which should be shared by all.

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Re:NSA morale down after Edward Snowden revelations, former ... by zxcdw on Sunday December 08, 2013 @01:45PM (#6870738)
Is it okay to supposedly protect the country at the expense of non-US citizens such as myself? It feels weird that some people think that indeed, it is.

I am being spied upon because of what I am not. I have no vote or political way to address this, I have no say about it. I must accept it, again, because of what I am not.

It is impossible to reason about this without relying on saying that "my rights are more important than yours", which of course, is about the same as arguing that "it is just the way it is. Tough cookies.".

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Re:NSA morale down after Edward Snowden revelations, former ... by Peaker on Sunday December 08, 2013 @09:27PM (#6872589)
If your own government spies on you, it is a tool of tyranny, and easily destroys democracy.

If some foreign government spies on you, it is unpleasant to think about, but it holds little to no power over you, so it's much less of an issue.

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Re:NSA morale down after Edward Snowden revelations, former ... by RexRollman on Sunday December 08, 2013 @05:33PM (#6871765)
A country's top concern will almost always be towards its own citizens first. I believe that is why you see even friendly countries spying on one another.
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