If You're Not Doing Anything Wrong, You Have Nothing to Worry About

Do you have a right to anonymous political free speech?

According to the Supreme Court, you do. According to the Department of Homeland Security, you don’t. They’ve hired General Dynamics to track U.S. citizens exercising this critical civil right.

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On April 12, 2011, EPIC submitted a FOIA request to the DHS regarding agency records detailing [its] media monitoring program.

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As part of recent disclosures related to the EPIC suit, it is revealed that the DHS has hired and instructed General Dynamics to monitor political dissent and the dissenters. The range of websites listed as being monitored is quite impressive. [...] [This] list is by the DHS’ own admission “representative” and not “comprehensive”.

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Some of the more high profile and highly trafficked sites being monitored include the comments sections of The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, the Huffington Post, the Drudge Report, Wired, and ABC News. In addition, social networking sites Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are being monitored. For the first time, the public not only has an idea who the DHS is pursuing with their surveillance and where, but what they are looking for as well. General Dynamics contract requires them to “[identify] media reports that reflect adversely on the U.S. Government, DHS, or prevent, protect, respond government activities.” The DHS also instructed General Dynamics to generate “reports on DHS, Components, and other Federal Agencies: positive and negative reports on FEMA, CIA, CBP, ICE, etc. as well as organizations outside the DHS.” In other words, the DHS wants to know who you are if you say anything critical about the government.

   Gene Howington

As I said earlier, one of our remaining rights which will likely be left to us is the right to rationalize.  Of course, at this point, the statement that the DHS says you don't have the right to criticize the government isn't quite accurate.  You have the right to do it, but you may be paying the consequences.

If you haven’t already, read Jonathan Turley’s article answering the typical claim that “if you’re doing nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about,” and his response to people commenting on that article, to understand why that is a dangerous and ill-advised stance.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.