• And privacy rollbacks through the disasterous patriot act! In reality it was a longstanding wishlist of cop and law enforcement intrusions on the populace that would never otherwise have been enacted. Warrantless searches and wiretaps! Intrusive scans! Data sharing leading to leakage and being prosecuted for crimes unrelated to the warrant!

    The passage of the patriot act is the reason that, in my heart of hearts, I can’t completely dismiss 9/11 conspiracy theories. 96% I can, but 4% I look at the patriot act and the wars and I go “hmmm”.

    • I’ve read conspiracy theories that they knew it was going to happen and allowed it to happen so they would have an excuse to usher in their new world order. Given the sweeping overreach, and un-American changes after the events, I can’t dismiss those claims.

    •  Hirom   ( @Hirom@beehaw.org ) 
      link
      fedilink
      3
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      The Patriot Act and other laws with provision for invasive surveillance didn’t come out of nowhere. There are officials and/or lobbies who have always argued for more surveillance in the name of security. They have proposals on standby, and are waiting for opportunities to turn these into laws.

      When an attack do happen, these people are going to push their proposal, present them as the solution. It doesn’t mean they had anything to do with the attack. I assume people who wrote the Patrick Act are genuinely looking to avoid terrorist attacks, but their solution isn’t effective nor right.