My Take on the FBI Stuff
I do think that it is the intention of the US government to attempt to provide better protection for its citizens by giving the FBI easier access to information that could be used to prevent a large-scale terrorist attack. That's the intention. However, as HH suggests, I do think it could potentially lead to investigative authorities beginning to function as a sort of thought police...at the very least, reconstructing chat transcripts, e-mails, etc to build cases in a courtroom.
I for one am not at all opposed to this...that's where HH and I differ. I think people in the US are far too free...we are like spoiled children in that regard, whining when someone tries to impose a little discipline. If you were dumb enough to chat away on AOL IM or shoot e-mails back and forth (particularly mega-providers like Hotmail, Yahoo! and the like) regarding your drug habits, semi-criminal behaviors, etc, then you deserve to get nailed. For better or for worse, we have laws...laws which only become more arbitrary and biased when they are only minimally enforceable.
So I say enforce away. Read my mind and arrest me before I buy booze for that 19 year old chick. In fact, right now, I'm thinking about beating the guy in #305 with an ice skate. Come and get me.
