IP:Re: Eisenhower warned us two parts

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

Sometimes I wonder if anyone actually  won the cold war. While we have a
long way to go, we are dangerously close to the type of government that we
fought against. The pressures of the cold war brought us Joe McCarthy and
the pressures of the cold war and post cold war are bringing us proposed
laws that slowly and painlessly  offer to strip what is left of the Bill of
Rights. Time to remember Ben Franklin again (and again):


"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary 
 safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."       - Ben Franklin, ~1784


Dave






From: Stanton McCandlish <mech () eff org>
Subject: Re: IP: Eisenhower warned us
To: farber () cis upenn edu
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 15:31:29 -0800 (PST)




> Defense experts say Pentagon needs to change focus
>
> Copyright (C) 1997 The Associated Press 
>
> WASHINGTON (November 28, 1997 3:47 p.m. EST) -- After decades 
> of gearing defense planning toward the threat of large-scale
> war abroad, the Pentagon should focus more on the risk of 
> biological or other unconventional attacks on America 
> itself, a congressionally chartered panel has concluded.


While I agree that we don't need a Cold War war machine anymore, I'd warn
that some of what this new direction will translate into is almost certain
to be increased US government espionage against its own citizens,
increased domestic surveillance, and more civil rights abuses here at
home.  I'll bet on it.  The rash of anti-privacy legislation and bills to
grant anti-democratic powers to law enforcement from 1995-7, in the wake
of fears (and the OKC reality) of domestic terrorism is really horrific to
behold. Most of it didn't pass, but all of it and worse could in the
future.  National digital IDs.  Roadside tracking of all vehicle
movements.  Increased and faster sharing of databases between agencies. 
More FBI, et al., infiltration of "dangerous" or "suspect" organizations
(like maybe civil liberties groups opposing FBI "national security and
crimefighting imperatives" such as encryption restrictions, perhaps?) More
secret trials and deportations of immigrant suspects.  Increases to police
and intelligence. eavesdropping authority.  All of this is *already*
coming. I just expect a new DoD focus on "the homeland" to step up the
pace.


****************
I then said:


> Ever wonder who actually won the cold war. We is become like them more and 
> more


and asked if I could send it out on IP and he said:


***************************


Yep. Though we forget a lot of our own history. Not just the McCarty era 
and the mistreatment of Japanese-Americans in WWII, not to mention CIA and 
other intelligence actions against our own population in the late 60s, 
including MK-Ultra. But the Woodrow Wilson administration in the early 
part of the century was the closest America has ever come to a police 
state, yet kids today are being taught in history classes that Wilson was 
a good guy becase women's suffrage happened during his presidency. <sigh> 
Things are getting very Wilsonesque these days...
Dave Farber typed: 
> Ever wonder who actually won the cold war. We is become like them more and 
> more





--
Stanton McCandlish                                           mech () eff org
Electronic Frontier Foundation                           Program Director


http://www.eff.org/~mech    +1 415 436 9333 x105 (v), +1 415 436 9333 (f)
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**************************************************
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Ben Franklin, ~1784
**************************************************