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08/10/2007 Archived Entry: "Another example of how government uses fear"

"EVEN IF CALLS NOT TAPPED, OUR FEAR IS." That's the headline on an article about a harmless (but politically minded) old woman, Edith Williams, who suspects the federal government is listening in on her calls.

Is she being spied on? Or isn't she? The author nails the conclusion:

And that may be the real impact of the Orwellian Protect America Act of 2007.

After all, it doesn't matter whether the government actually is eavesdropping on Williams' phone calls - or yours or mine. Just knowing that some government goon can listen for any reason - or no reason at all - can make a person think twice about expressing dissent.

Williams has seen that before and knows how insidiously it happens. "Little by little, you lose your individual freedoms and you don't even notice it."

Then, she said, you wake up one morning, and all that's left is the fear.

Edith Williams grew up in Nazi Germany.

Posted by Claire @ 05:53 PM CST
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