Being Watched

Trey Smith

My guess is that almost everyone above the age of ten has heard the phrase, "Big Brother is watching you." (Those under the age of 10 think that Santa Claus is the voyeur!) Some people realize that their government is watching them, while others think that government only watches the "bad" people.

If you live in the USA and express certain opinions, according to blogger Gene Howington, then you can be damn sure you are being watched!! Howington isn't some crackpot conspiracy theorist. His information doesn't come from space aliens who have invaded his brain or because he hears unknown voices; it comes from our own Department of Homeland Security (DHS)!

DHS has hired the firm General Dynamics to monitor the internet.

At this juncture, many of you might be thinking that General Dynamics has been tasked with trying to ascertain information that poses a threat to the security of this country. While that indeed is part of their mission, their directed objectives are much broader than that.

General Dynamics contract requires them to “[identify] media reports that reflect adversely on the U.S. Government, DHS, or prevent, protect, respond government activities.” The DHS also instructed General Dynamics to generate “reports on DHS, Components, and other Federal Agencies: positive and negative reports on FEMA, CIA, CBP, ICE, etc. as well as organizations outside the DHS.” In other words, the DHS wants to know who you are if you say anything critical about the government.

Gee, that's really creepy. It should remind anyone of countless dictatorships and authoritarian regimes -- ya know, the kind of governments that the US supposedly opposes.

Needless to say, if you visit this blog, then you should just assume that YOU are being watched.

While my fellow scribes generally stick to a discussion of the highly subversive philosophy of Taoism, I write oodles of posts that are CRITICAL OF THE GOVERNMENT. So, it should be assumed that the government is aware of this blog and every single person who stops by -- whether you do so inadvertently or you are a regular reader.

Those of you who choose to comment and basically agree with my general stance probably are being scrutinized very closely. Even if you only agree with my various ruminations and rants every now and then, that's probably enough to place you on some watch list. Of course, my name (which I foolishly don't hide) probably tops the list entitled, "The Rambling Taoists: Known Subversives."

Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that the US Government is working so vigilantly to keep you protected from opinions they don't favor?