Let's see, the "may," they "might," they "possibly could." And heaven forbid, the FBI visited a library. What books did they collect and burn? Or, is it that they may look at what is being said on a PUBLIC computer?
Government may monitor religious and political institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror investigations.
Criminal Investigations: Tracking and Gathering
Communications
Federal communications privacy law features a three tiered system, erected for the
dual purpose of protecting the confidentiality of private telephone, face-to-face, and
computer communications while enabling authorities to identify and intercept criminal
communications. Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968
supplies the first level. It prohibits electronic eavesdropping on telephone conversations,
face-to-face conversations, or computer and other forms of electronic communications in
most instances. It does, however, give authorities a narrowly defined process for
electronic surveillance to be used as a last resort in serious criminal cases. When
approved by senior Justice Department officials, law enforcement officers may seek a
court order authorizing them to secretly capture conversations concerning any of a
statutory list of offenses (predicate offenses). Title III court orders come replete with
instructions describing the permissible duration and scope of the surveillance as well as
the conversations which may be seized and the efforts to be taken to minimize the seizure
of innocent conversations. The court notifies the parties to any conversations seized
under the order after the order expires.
Below Title III, the next tier of privacy protection covers telephone records, e-mail
held in third party storage, and the like, 18 U.S.C. 2701-2709 (Chapter 121). Here, the
law permits law enforcement access, ordinarily pursuant to a warrant or court order or
under a subpoena in some cases, but in connection with any criminal investigation and
without the extraordinary levels of approval or constraint that mark a Title III interception.
Least demanding and perhaps least intrusive of all is the procedure that governs court
orders approving the governments use of trap and trace devices and pen registers, a kind
of secret caller id., which identify the source and destination of calls made to and from
a particular telephone, 18 U.S.C. 3121-3127 (Chapter 206). The orders are available
based on the government's certification, rather than a finding of a court, that use of the
device is likely to produce information relevant to the investigation of a crime, any crime.
The devices record no more than identity of the participants in a telephone conversation,
but neither the orders nor the results they produce need ever be revealed to the
participants.
D8TA, try reading the act for yourself instead of listening to those who want to return to political power by any means. You have not lost a single freedom at all. Troops are not roaming the streets gunning down innocent civilians. No one is being monitored due to religious belief or political leanings. However, I would agree that any who advocate the destruction of our civilization do merit monitoring. There are no mass concentration camps where "hundreds of innocent people" are being held. Yes, Al Qeada operatives are being held in Cuba and questioned. Last I heard, they weren't made citizens as they were captured. No one has shown any to be tortured or beaten, as their mentors have been known to do.
As for buying books, I just bought some with no problem. Funny thing, I wasn't strip searched for it. No one wanted a National ID nor did the FBI, CIA, or NSA follow me home. Hell, I even opened it and read it. Imagine that! When I drive by the library, I see many people going in and out, obtaining books and I presume, actually reading them.
The only scandalous subject we have faced in our library here is the librarians insistence that underage children have the freedom to access Playboy, Penthouse and such at the library, if they wish.
Your near panic state is very unbecoming and your "I told you so" greatly over rated and premature. However, if you and the other Leftists here are given your way, the next "I told you so" will be another terrorist attack somewhere in the country, possible with a larger loss of life than the last one. Some have already been uncovered and prevented. I guess we should all be outraged that their freedom to murder was infringed, right?
That's what I say, Charlie!
Edited by - DakotaRed on 9 February 2003 16:21:54
