Americans of All Political Parties Please Read Now

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

07/08/2008 06:40:26 PM · #31

Originally posted by togtog:

Do not delay reading this, taking action or not today will grossly affect your future in America.

* Super short version for busy people, I strongly ask that you read this post in its entirety, you will not have a chance to do so and act on it again. However in brief, a new bill is being sent to the senate that will make illegal actions taken by Bush, and future presidents legal and will remove the Forth Amendment of the Constitution. See links below to help, you can leave a pre-scripted message on an answering machine or opt to send an email, either way it will take less than ten minutes of your time but could affect your Entire lifetime.

Tomorrow, July 9th the senate will vote on the FISA Amendments Act. The purpose of the Amendment is to gut out the protections to American citizens provided within the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Further the aim is to make the current president as well as every future president immune to the forth amendment with protects against illegal searching and surveillance, including all past offenses of this kind.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was founded in 1978 to end the unconstitutional electronic searching and surveillance of the American public and congress by the NSA and CIA due to its overwhelming potential of abuse of power.

President Bush has ignored this act and has illegally and unconstitutionally ordered phone companies to wiretap and survey American citizens as well as congress. The phone companies have in turn illegally and unconstitutionally wiretapped countless citizens and congress for unspecified purposes set forth by Bush.

The FISA Amendment Act will make Bush immune to all criminal and civil prosecution for these acts from the time he became president and for his lifetime. As well it will grant the same retroactive immunity to the phone companies which complied with his illegal orders protecting them from all lawsuits related to damage caused by the information they obtained illegally and how it was used.

You may disregard this because you do not break any laws and have nothing to hide, however this is much larger than someone listening to your grocery lists. The Forth Amendment of the Constitution is one of the pinnacle protections that defines what America is and why it is free. Without the protections provided by the forth amendment it will become possible for any president to collect personal and potentially harmful information about any member of congress or other opposition for the purposes of cohesion.

If you wish to remain in America then please help to make sure America stays true to its purpose of freedom.

A number of senators in both Republican and Democratic parties are opposed to this bill, however the majority of senators have not stated opposition nor support to the amendment and therefore need your guidance as registered voters, to make their mind up for them.

Here is an article about FISA if you do not trust what I have said, please listen to it carefully. - Note it uses a Flash based movie player for the gut of the message, if you use a Flash blocker please disable it to hear the message.

Here is information from the EFF (Electronic Freedom Foundation) stressing the importance of the problem and what specifically you need to do to help stop it, as well as a form to help you find the phone numbers and email addresses of your senators.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, now please visit those links and take action, for yourselves, your children, your family, and your friends. Please act on this, thank you.

You really are kidding right? I hope this get's sent into rant soon so I don't have to look at it again. In fact I'm requesting that right now... Next time, read up on a subject for yourself so you don't look foolish...

togtog

Nikon D300

07/08/2008 08:23:20 PM · #32

Originally posted by TooCool:

I am not kidding. Why does looking at this bother you so much to have the thread moved to rant so you "don't have to look at it again"? No one is arguing here that I can see, no foul words being thrown by anyone...

I'm sorry to say but it is rather easy to jump into a thread and proclaim it foolish without providing any basis or proof on the subject. If I am wrong then by all means please call me out on it but please be specific.

In fact, I would like you to make a fool out of me, it would mean I was wrong and that would mean America isn't about to sink into hell, I'm sure a lot of people would feel relieved as well by that.

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

07/08/2008 08:35:23 PM · #33

Originally posted by TooCool:

I hope this get's sent into rant soon so I don't have to look at it again. In fact I'm requesting that right now...

I doubt you or any other user is the arbiter of such things. Oh, and if you don't want to look at it again....

PS: no apostrophe in "gets".

Message edited by author 2008-07-08 20:37:09.

ambaker

Google Glass Google Glass

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

07/08/2008 08:42:51 PM · #34

Personally, I'd also be quite happy to see it slide into the background. There are plenty of political discussion sites. This particular site is about photography.

Many people posting seem to forget/not care/pick one that many people here do not live in the United States. And not even in North America.

This particular rant is not of their concern.

Amazing as it may seem, not the whole world hangs on every bill introduced into congress.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

07/08/2008 09:29:19 PM · #35

Originally posted by ambaker:

If all you want to read about and the only thing that informs your photography is photography, well... maybe you should look a bit wider for your inspiration. There are plenty of really dull sites that are only about photography. Fortunately, perhaps unfortunately for you, DPC isn't one of them. You always have the option to ignore threads that "bother" you, please use it.

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

07/08/2008 10:10:11 PM · #36

Sadly, I'll vote for Obama pretty much no matter what. I'm not quite sure what I think about this FISA issue, and I happen to still believe in him, but it doesn't much matter. I think this country is run by an ironclad party system at the federal level, and mostly at the state level, depending on the state. So unless the Republicans significantly change their platform, I can't imagine ever voting for one of them. Yes, the Dems will do stupid things, and they often won't live up to my hopes. I don't expect any politician to actually match the majority of my thinking because they'll never get elected. But at least the Dems' excesses won't go the direction of the Repubs' excesses.

BTW, Louis, some of us do know how to use apostrophes appropriately, even in the plural possessive. ;)

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

07/08/2008 10:26:54 PM · #37

Originally posted by ambaker:

Ah, but this is related to photography in a way. And it does affect people from other countries. As an example, did you know that searching a persons personal computer or cell phone, what used to require a search warrent signed off by a judge, is now routinely done by the TSA on people entering the US, even American citizens? They look up your contacts, your calendar, your photos and who knows what else, in the name of homeland security. Up to know nobody has been successful in challenging them. This bill is not needed to keep FISA in place. In fact it changes FISA to be more liberal in its application to sidestep the minimal FISA court restrictions that used to be in place.

I for one want people to visit our country on vactaion and not avoid us due to personal liberty restrictions. Not only does it teach us all that we are more alike than different and to get along but it also will bring much needed money back to our country now that the dollar is so weak. Anyway, think about it and you will see that this has a direct effect on photography.

Just my two cents.

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

07/08/2008 10:46:56 PM · #38

Originally posted by Jac:

Slippy, we're Canadian but when do you expect our government to enact a similar draft of the US legislation? If it flies in the States, it'll grow wings here too i'm sure.

If that were true, Canadian troops would be in Iraq, our search and seizure laws would mirror the "Miranda" rule and we would automatically deport conscientious objectors back to the USA.

Not gonna happen,

Ray

sempermarine

Apple iPhone 5s

07/08/2008 10:55:02 PM · #39

Originally posted by fir3bird:

Originally posted by sempermarine:

Very well. Have a nice day ~~sir~~.

You can drop the sir. I work for a living.

Consider it dropped. I used the word out of respect. Sorry if I offended you. Have a nice evening.

07/08/2008 11:31:48 PM · #40

I'm in favour of apostrophic secession.

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

07/09/2008 09:14:01 AM · #41

Originally posted by tnun:

I'm in favour of apostrophic secession.

Hypocrite.

07/09/2008 09:43:45 AM · #42

Yes, I took an oaf.

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

07/09/2008 10:02:56 AM · #43

Originally posted by tnun:

Yes, I took an oaf.

I want it back!

07/09/2008 10:40:01 AM · #44

How about I give you half?

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

07/09/2008 12:35:30 PM · #45

Originally posted by tnun:

How about I give you half?

Okay. Pinch it.