Freedom To Read

I ran across an interesting read on the FBI attempting to get library records summarized on a web page of the Pen American Center. This was of particular interest in light of the recent FBI request for additional powers to get information without the approval of a judge.

The library article is especially interesting to me as it shows that the FBI, before securing a subpoena, will just ask for information. This confirms what I already believed. Most of your private information is in the hands of others for example your doctor, your bank, your travel agent, and your credit card company among others. You already are at the mercy of the whims of those organizations who just might decide to give your information away without a fight. The legal protections which require a subpoena can already be circumvented by the FBI just asking. The FBI wants more, they want to subpoena the few people and companies who stand up to them and say no to their fishing expeditions without a judge looking over their shoulder. Why are they afraid of tiny bit scrutiny and transparency? It's not that I think a persons library record can't be used in a court of law, it's that I think there needs to be a legitimate, auditable process that incorporates checks and balances and resembles the 4th Ammendment to the constitution.

What kind of society do people want to live in? Do you really want Big Brother looking over your shoulder approving your reading material? I don't. Unfortunately, at this moment I have no faith that either major party is willing to stand up for freedom so I can't vote my conscience unless I choose to vote for fringe parties and candidates.