a snarky but informative post to dc404

[adric]

There were some interesting opinions expressed about recent news events at the meeting Saturday but when I asked if anyone had done the reading I got a lot of blank stares. This distresses me quite a bit since hackers and security "people" should be more educated and informed on these issues than the general public -- not less. This is our history

Comments

[jessica_fae]

So whole heatedly agree that people need to be doing their reading. I cannot comment on certain aspects of the particular topic at hand for many more years to come, but I can speak to the fact that what outraged everyone from the recent events were all foreseeable. As a nation, we voted in laws without actually reading them, and we continue to vote to keep them around without reading them. The general public doesn't read the laws they vote on, instead relying on propaganda that is spun to match the agenda of the political party pushing it.

The actions of the so called "Whistle Blower" do not expose some grand crime, rather simply expose that the government is operating within the currently allowed parameters of the laws we have voted on in the name of security. I find his actions a bit unconscionable, but that may be related in part to my time working in that field. There are many better ways to handle the situation. Starting a campaign to raise awareness of the laws, like the Patriot Act, for example.

I will not get into my personal

Thanks for commenting!

[adric]

I do appreciate you taking the time.

The difference in the tone and emotions of these debates had with people of different backgrounds is astonishing and perhaps more interesting in some ways that the terribly important issues at hand. Schneier, you, my retired Army Intelligence dad, my various civilian coworkers, or my ex-CyberCommand bosses versus that found at the hacker meeting ...
and y'know random comments on Internet news stories.

I did think about including the "You @#$%#@%^ didn't read the PATRIOT Act, did you?" in my screed but decided to leave it out.
It's a important point lost on many and I'm glad you called it out here.

Definitely going to be interesting to see how this plays out and i think it will be to everyone's benefit if it plays out mostly in public.

Thanks and hope you and yours are well!