atleast put the whole thing in quotes and please for the love of god.

Credit the original author.

Here,

Alan Dershowitz stated-

"Lavrenti Beria, the head of Joseph Stalin’s KGB, once quipped to his boss, "“show me the man and I will find the crime.”" The Soviet Union was notorious for having accordion-like criminal laws that could be adjusted to fit almost any dissident target. The U.S. is a far cry from the Soviet Union, but our laws are dangerously over-broad."

Sadly the last part of this statement is becoming less and less true day by day. Also I disagree about the umbrella definition of the entire Soviet Union. We are becoming more and more like Stalin's Totalitarian reign over the Soviet Union

Anyways. This is hands down one of the most relevant and chilling quotes. You cannot find a more eerie reason for why amassing data on civilians is a massive issue. It nullifies "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear" and for good reason. The evidence that this concept is obsolete is in this quote. We are already seeing instances of it happening in the described way that Beria used his powers.

The only shocking revelation we have yet to witness is one stated by Hannah Arendt: “The first essential step on the road to total domination is to kill the juridical person in man,” namely, the person with any real claim to equality under the law. One way to do so, Arendt added, is by “placing the concentration camp outside the normal penal system, and by selecting its inmates outside the normal judicial procedure in which a definite crime entails a predictable penalty.” In that respect, the extrajudicial prisons and executions conducted by our current regime are stark illuminations of dark times.

-Scott Tucker.

Some could argue that this has come to fruition in the US, however I see this as the last step and a step we have yet to come to in our democracy becoming a totalitarian state. Some can say that the translations and the characteristics that differ from totalitarian state to totalitarian state are the differences in their detention systems.

Just a thought. If you feel different please feel free to tell me how and why you think I am incorrect in my observations. I welcome it.

As I've posted numerous times about the whole "If you're law abiding, you have nothing to hide" logic. It's not up to us as to whether we're following the Law or not. There's far too many Laws to track and pretty much guaranteed any one - and I mean ANY ONE - could be nabbed for breaking some Law.

From my understanding all smartphones have back doors to activate the gps, mic, and camera even with the battery removed there will remain a charge within a hidden capacitor for a few hours to do this. The way PRISM is unraveling it wouldn't surprise me if this is activated constantly on all phones. You could theoretically go back to any time of anyone and nail someone for jaywalking trump it up to reckless endangerment or some other cockamamie charge then proceed to control them with threat of imprisonment or fines.

Every year you sign a "confession".

It's called form 1040.

How sure are you of your familiarity with tax laws?

Of course, there's a fair chance that no one will be looking at your 1040 (and all of your bank records, internet activity, emails, phone calls, etc) with intense scrutiny... unless they should find you worthy of attention.

Maybe you said something that could be perceived as questioning the Righteous Supremacy of the State?

We have already seen the chilling effect that the Super Snoopers have had on members of the media - and especially their sources - who now rightfully fear that their identity has been compromised (it has).

This threat now permeates the nation. Who you are and what you think is at the fingertips of those who govern. It is an awesome power, and how we react as a People will be the defining feature of our character as a people.

Knees or feet.

Your choice.