Listening to the CEO’s of various companies respond to the various privacy violations committed by the NSA was…underwhelming.
With the exception of Marissa Mayer and Mark Zuckenburg, everyone else gave lukewarm monologues (basically filler legal talk) or NSA approval (I kid you not!) of the various Big Brother spy programs.
Michael Arrington did a phenomenal job interviewing all of these CEO’s at TechCrunch Disrupt, although I share his frustration with the lack of outrage from Silicon Valley’s fearless leaders.
If those with the power to fight back are unwilling to defend the freedoms that countless others have died for, then what chance do those with the will but not the ability have?
If I have to sacrifice freedom–the right to some semblance of privacy–in order to gain security then there is no point in saluting the US flag, reciting the pledge of allegiance or promoting “American” values against the forces of tyranny (who desire to drag our world back into the Age of Aristocracy).
I love America–or at least the people living within its borders–but how can you maintain loyalty to a government who enjoys defecating upon your privacy?
A privacy that is (or should I say was) guaranteed under the fourth Amendment?!
Patrick Henry (allegedly) said it best:
“Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Right now we as a society can choose liberty or witness the death of a culture where people are no longer passionate about their government but are apathetic towards it.
In which smart people use dumb phones and dumb people use smartphones.
In which people look towards the past for the glory of the nation instead of the future.
If that is the future that American politicians, pundits, and the populace desire then all I can say is…take me into the black!
