US Officials Open Private Mail — by Reuters
Introduction by Sean/iNoodle.com:
Slowly, [our US and UK governments] turn, step by step, inch by inch ... fascist. Tip o' the hat to The Three Stooges, Moe and Larry in particular. The "Niagara Falls" episode was always one of my brother's and my favorites, for some strange reason. Was it, against all odds, the watching of countless reruns of The Three Stooges as a kid that planted within me that all-important seed of critical thinking which leads to dissent?!? Curly (posthumously) says, "Soitenly!"
*****
by Reuters
January 9, 2006 (10:38 PM GMT)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials can open personal mail arriving from abroad as part of the fight against terrorism, and do so when they deem it necessary to protect the country, a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said on Monday.
News of the little-known practise follows revelations that the government approved eavesdropping on U.S. citizens without judicial oversight after the September 11 attacks, which sparked concern from civil liberties advocates and some lawmakers who called for congressional hearings.
[...]
Grant Goodman, an 81-year-old retired University of Kansas history professor, drew attention to the policy after a letter he received from a colleague in the Philippines was opened and resealed by Customs and Border Protection, and only then sent on to him.
He said he was shocked and amazed that the letter -- which he received last month from another retired history professor with whom he has corresponded for 50 years -- had been screened.
[...]
Click here for the full Reuters article.
Slowly, [our US and UK governments] turn, step by step, inch by inch ... fascist. Tip o' the hat to The Three Stooges, Moe and Larry in particular. The "Niagara Falls" episode was always one of my brother's and my favorites, for some strange reason. Was it, against all odds, the watching of countless reruns of The Three Stooges as a kid that planted within me that all-important seed of critical thinking which leads to dissent?!? Curly (posthumously) says, "Soitenly!"
by Reuters
January 9, 2006 (10:38 PM GMT)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials can open personal mail arriving from abroad as part of the fight against terrorism, and do so when they deem it necessary to protect the country, a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said on Monday.
News of the little-known practise follows revelations that the government approved eavesdropping on U.S. citizens without judicial oversight after the September 11 attacks, which sparked concern from civil liberties advocates and some lawmakers who called for congressional hearings.
[...]
Grant Goodman, an 81-year-old retired University of Kansas history professor, drew attention to the policy after a letter he received from a colleague in the Philippines was opened and resealed by Customs and Border Protection, and only then sent on to him.
He said he was shocked and amazed that the letter -- which he received last month from another retired history professor with whom he has corresponded for 50 years -- had been screened.
[...]
Click here for the full Reuters article.
posted by Sean M. Madden at
9:48 AM
)
2 Comments:
My understanding is that this has been going on for years, at least since the end of WW2. This period includes administrations of various political stances. Given this what, if anything, are you getting excited about?
If I fail to understand please forgive me. My critical influences didn't include The Three Stooges...
Thanks for stopping by and writing your comment, dawg.
I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment that what we have been witnessing these past several years is the coming together of sixty-odd years, at least, of American imperialism which is fundamentally anti-democratic and fueled by various sociopolitical forces, not the least of which is rampant corporatism insidiously making its way into every aspect of our lives.
I agree, too, that this is the effect of administrations of various political stances, but all of which have been ushered in by corporate interests which carry out their sole fiduciary responsibility of maximizing shareholder value no matter the off-balance-sheet costs paid by society.
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking concerning "what, if anything, [I'm] getting excited about," but perhaps you can explain before I end up answering the question in such a way as to not address your concern.
Of course, my Three Stooges critical influence was tongue-in-cheek. You'll perhaps feel better if I tell you I haven't owned a television for many years and am adamant that what Manuel Valenzuela calls the "golden calf" in the living room [read the full essay via his site] should be the first to go if we are to recover our sanity, wholeness, well-being and continued existence.
But a bit of irony and humor is most welcome as well, and every bit as crucial.
Thanks, again, for writing. I look forward to hearing from you again.
By the way, do you have suggestions as to what we should be doing?
Sean
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