I'll be watching you

I find irony that "The Police" sang this song. I don't mind if Sting watches me, croons at me or talks all Tantric everytime I come across an interview with him. But, if we are speaking of "the police" in the more generic form, or say, any form of law-enforcing government agencies- FBI, CIA, NSA, Homeland Security, the fact that they are watching me makes me really, really uncomfortable and nervous.

The revelation last week that nearly all of our major phone companies are turning over records of EVERY call made in the United States should have your alarm bells ringing. You can read the news story here.

I first handled the news of this story very, very childishly. (I called everyone I knew and left voice messages saying "Praise be to Allah!" "Praise be to him" "I'm looking for 72 virgins). Unfortunately, The Lawyer really, really did not like this. In fact, he told me the government has no sense of humor about these things. And, most of the people I talked to gave me the following response:
"Dude, I don't care, I have nothing to hide."

This response sends my blood pressure sky-rocketing and into a near feverish fit of rage. After swallowing hard and counting to 10, I try to rationally and calmly make my arguement:
1) This program is unconstitutional and illegal. If you believe in the rule of law i.e. all those darned brown people need to get back to Mexico in a New York Minute.- how can you stand idly by and indifferent to this?
2) Do you honestly believe a program this massive aids in tracking down Al Quada suspects? I would assume it aids in tracking down whistleblowers, reporters' secret sources, leakers, drug dealers, adulterers, philanderers, women, men, children, pet sellers, ebayers.
3) Do you want the government knowing you (or one of your friends whom you talk to often) may have called a) an abortion clinic b) a 1-900 number c) your doctor d) your bank e) your stockbroker f) your lawn guy who may or may not be in the U.S. legally g) your mistress?

This is not about having anything to hide. This is about freedom. If we are exporting democracy across the globe, or at least to oil-rich countries in the Middle East, what does this say about our brand of freedom?

Would you want the government having a record of every place your car has driven? Every bank transaction you have made? Every airplane ticket you have purchased? Every medical record? Every phone call you have ever made? Oh wait- they have that last one.

I have some suggested reading everyone:
1) The Bill of Rights (especially the 4th amendment)
2) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
3) 1984 by George Orwell