NSA: Never Start Apologizing

As Billy watches “Nightly News with Brian Williams” and sees, yet another swarm of outrage, with alleged allegations of the government spying on its allies, he, too, becomes overwhelmed with anger towards the persons of office. He ponders, “If the NSA can snoop in on other countries, I’m sure they've been spying on citizens of this country!” Billy’s hypothesis is correct. The National Security Agency, AKA NSA, does have records of phone calls, emails, tweets, and other electronic personal information from some Americans, regardless if the citizens set their information to be private. It’s under the branch of the military, thus its members’ job is to protect the nation’s security. If they feel anyone’s a threat, they will pursue any information about that individual. Yet, some would say how can you protect security when you’re looking at everyone’s business?   

 How do I feel about the NSA’s spying? Honestly, is this really surprising information? It’s certainly not for me. We have to remember twelve years and two months ago America entered the age of the fight on terror. The result: two wars (one we’re still fighting) and increased transportation security (especially in airports). Wouldn't you expect for the government to check if any of their allies or citizens was a part of a terrorist organization, like Al-Quaeda? Even looking past 9-11, we have to consider both world wars and the Cold War. The United States had some legitimate reasoning behind snooping around.  Anyone could be a threat for America. Of course, one could view this form of spying to be extreme, but “it’s for the safety of citizens,” the NSA would argue.

However, the bigger issue of this topic is actually not about the NSA itself. It’s about privacy. As Billy huffs and puffs about what he just saw on the news, he takes his frustration straight towards the internet, like any responsible, modern American citizen. Every video, comment, tweet, blog, and article pertaining the NSA/government-spying he found available, Billy typed away his two-cents. Six weeks later, Billy is surprised he was fired from his job as an attorney for Department of Homeland Security.  How can you expect the NSA to mind their business when you put all of your own business out in the open where anyone can see it? Also, do people actually believe that the only ones who dig into people’s personal information is the NSA? Ever heard of Google? Any large company or organization with access to personal accounts could obtain private information. Disregarding big businesses, what about your next-door-neighbor? Anyone with the intelligence of code-breaking could recover emails and phone calls. Even one’s tech-savvy grandma could discover their thought-to-be-deleted nude photos on the internet. What the NSA is doing is not unique; it just has the authority to do so. Hence, if you don’t like the notion of someone going through your “private” information online, then don’t put it online.

Surprisingly, there is even a bigger issue than privacy: the government. To sum up what I feel about the government’s part of this issue is in nine words: There is no such thing as a true democracy. If the government wants to look through your information, they have every right to do so. Do you really believe that law makers follow the constitution thoroughly? Popes and bishops can’t even follow the Bible. Having the Bill of Rights looks good on a document, but doesn't feel good to actually follow its principles as a politician of either party. It is virtually impossible for American citizens to have full privacy and full access of freedom of speech; the U.S. government views any non-democratic/non-English speaking/non-football-loving individual as a threat, and, again, anybody could fall under that category. The NSA is simply doing what the entire government wants them to do, and the organization will continue to do, regardless of how the world feels about it.

            Note: To not seem like a threat myself, I’m not anti-American. I know other countries spy on each other as well. Spying has been done probably before Columbus set his dirty foot in the Caribbean. However, I just feel for the United Sates to set an example, especially since America took the title of being “big brother” for the world, they shouldn't be hypocrites by expecting other countries not to spy, while the NSA exists.