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This Could Never Happen in the USA…Right?
What exactly are Orwellian tactics? Orwellian tactics are methods and
ideologies
displayed by George Orwell that are used to control people. They are
most prominently
displayed in his book 1984. In 1984 the government, known as the Party,
control
peoples lives down to every minor detail. The party even manages to
control
what people think. By controlling their thoughts, feelings, actions,
and memories,
the Party was able to turn the entire population of Oceania into its
puppet.
Governments all over the world are utilizing Orwellian tactics. This
could never
happen in the USA, right? To a lesser degree and to many people's disbelief,
it is happening.
ECHELON is the National Security Networks worldwide surveillance network
and
associated equipment-software, hardware, fibre optic networks, satellites,
etc.
ECHELON is slowly becoming a more common term. Using mainly publicly
available
material, you can uncover ECHELON's success at massive domestic spying
via the
NSA. ECHELON is an unbelievably huge worldwide spying apparatus. This
also including
the domestic phone calls of many countries. United States citizens'
phone calls
are being monitored in such a fashion that not even George Orwell himself
could
have imagined. Of course, this was all paid for by U.S. taxpayers-built
in secret.
(Echelon Watch)
A New York Times article written in 1982 breaks the story of the NSA
and ECHELON
teaming up to effectively spy on unknowing Americans. The article informs
that
the NSA uses a huge number of computers to listen for "key
words"
on "watch lists" for all border crossing traffic,
including voice
conversations. That means in 1975 they could convert voice to text,
then do
keyword searches against it. It's 2001 now.
In fact, a law was even passed that allows for this style of behavior.
CALEA,
a 1994 law ("Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act")
is
to force a massive reworking of the U.S. telephone infrastructure so
that the
government can essentially wiretap it. Also called the FBI Digital Telephony
Act. It is an ultra-domestic extension of ECHELON. (Echelon Resources)
In George Orwells 1984, the telescreen was used to spy on people 24-hours
a
day. The telescreen knew what you were thinking, how you were feeling,
what
you were doing, and could even communicate back to you. The telescreen
played
a major role in Orwellian tactics being carried out in Oceania in 1984.
Just
as the telescreen watched Winston in his own home, ECHELON reads your
email,
listens to your phone calls, and knows whether you've been naughty or
nice.
ECHELON is only one organization that invades individual's privacy and
employs
Orwellian tactics. Just as in other countries, especially those who
are run
by a dictatorship, the United States government uses propagandist techniques
to promote its views. In 1984, Winston's window had a clear view of
a banner
that read: "War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is
strength."
How many times have you sung along with a crowd of people the Pledge
of Allegiance?
Quite a few if you progressed through primary and secondary public education.
" We did it everyday-twice a day sometimes-usually in the morning
then
sometime after lunch," my father told me when I asked him about
the Pledge
of Allegiance status when he was a kid. Students as young as 1st graders
are
chanting the Pledge of Allegiance at least once a day, all over the
United States.
(Echelon Resources)
How much have you thought about what exactly is behind the Pledge of
Allegiance
craze? Probably not much; think about it with me. Think about it literally.
You are promising, guaranteeing, giving your word that you will show
and demonstrate
allegiance to the United States. The fact that any 3rd grader knows
the Pledge
of Allegiance, itself, shows that the United States government employs
propaganda.
My father, being a person who likes to talk a lot and share his opinions
with
people, took the liberty to explain to me the entire 13-days Cuban missile
crisis.
"Everything seemed normal in the media at the time. Really
it wasn't until
weeks after that all the details came out. They played it off real well,"
my father explained to me about the Cuban missile crisis temporary cover-up.
During the Cuban Missile crisis, the Kennedy administration put a happy
facade
on what was happening in the White House. Very few people knew that
the United
States was only moments away from global thermonuclear obliteration.
In an informal interview with Dr. Doug Roberts from New Technology High
School,
I heard a rather interesting idea. "Since I've read 1984-before
the year
1984-Orwellian stuff has just become more easy to do," Dr.
Roberts expressed
to me. He says that technology has given the government an avenue to
snoop.
"Every mouse click can be monitored. It's funny-I jog now,
a few days a
week, and I used to see flickering TVs in the morning. Now I see people
closer
to the screen and with keyboards in front of them." Dr. Roberts
expressed
his feelings towards governments using Orwellian tactics in a rather
neutral
manor. He said that as long as he is happy and doesn't "feel
personal invaded
then [he] is fine with it."
I personally think that Orwellian tactics are things that governments
and civilizations
have been doing for centuries to control people and spread the ideals
of the
majority. Generally, in the United States, Orwellian tactics are for
the better
of the people, the advancement of the majority. I don't like the feeling
that
I have to take extraneous measures to make sure that my email isn't
read by
the government or that satellites in space can spy on my in my underwear
at
night. However, I feel that for the most part, it is controlled and
regulated
enough. Also I feel that in the United States we are fortunate to even
be aware
of Orwellian tactics being used on the people. The personal implications
of
such measures under weight the benefits.
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