Of Course You Are Being Watched!
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Of Course You Are Being Watched!, 10.0 out of 10 based on 6 ratings 
Cher Duncombe (30 Posts) Someone once told me, “Used-to-be’s don’t count.” I have pondered this often and find that they do count. We are the sum of our life experiences. I used to be an English and Speech teacher. There will always be a part of me that wants to teach. I used to be an Investigator, first for the government and later in my own private investigations business. I will always probe beneath the surface of issues and people, looking for the gem-like quality hidden in the text of words and personae. Today I am a writer and all of the used-to-be’s are part of the continuum of this journey. View My Profile Page 2 of 2 | Previous page
Tags: activism, askcherlock, chairman mao, Cher Duncombe, edification, hippy movement, inception, little red books, peace and happiness, point in time, sugar cane, suicide bombings, suicide plot thwarted, terrorist plots, war in vietnam, we are being watched
Daniel Sanders:
February 18th, 2012 at 11:29 am
Cher, great piece. I was one of those deeply involved in the “Peace Movement” very deeply. But it was for one reason and it was to put an end to a war that we should have never been in. An unjust war. But when 9/11 happened I was the first to put an American flag on my front porch. There are many unjust wars, and the United States did not start them all. An attack on this country would be unjust. I am a peaceful person but don’t come into my yard unless invited.As Mark Twain said and I’ve quoted this many times. Support/defend your country all the time and your government only when it deserves it In the 60′s as history proved the government did not deserve our support, and as John Foggerty wrote ” the light at the end of the tunnel was just a burglars torch.. This country is under attack and must be defended in whatever way it takes. But by the way I still like CSNY , Bob Dylan,Joan Biaz etc….
Larry Conley:
February 18th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Cher,
As you know I fought in Vietnam. I know from first hand experience that there are differences among the thousands in government service and the thousands wearing the uniform.
Most are sincerely striving to protect America and Americans.
When I came home, some protestors did not bother to distinguish me from others who may have been proper targets for their outrage. In the same way, people in the government who are actually working to foil “plots by Americans or legal permanent residents” are keeping the oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic.” They are to be commended.
As you correctly note, some in positions of federal power have not always confined themselves to upholding the constitution and protecting Americans. It is up to the rest of us, to recognize the difference between these courses of action and respond appropriately.
Good, thoughtful article. Thank you.
Larry
Jen and Tonic:
February 18th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
I took a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) class here, and the instructor was telling us how they’ve found terrorists in my city. That sort of blew me away. I live in a “typical” suburban neighborhood, there can’t be terrorists here!
I don’t mind being watched if it means keeping the bad people from doing all of the bad things they do. I actually feel sorry for the agent handling all of my “chatter” because it really isn’t all that interesting
Cher Duncombe:
February 18th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Dan, I loved your line “I am a peaceful person but don’t come into my yard unless invited.” Cheers to you for that! I remember driving the many miles home to Pittsburgh from my office the day 9/11 happened. It was within an hour, but almost every house I passed had an American flag waving. It was a comforting sight. As to the music, my daughter asked me several months ago if I would burn a CD with “the music of my life.” Ironically, she requested CSNY, along with others that you mentioned. Those were the songs my children heard ad nauseam, but they were good memories for her.
Cher Duncombe:
February 18th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Larry, first let me thank you for your service to our country. I was always appalled at the treatment our Veterans received upon their return. I would like to believe they were a fringe element, but I was not on the receiving end. You were and I am so sorry. We do need to remember the J. Edgars and Joe McCarthys so that never again will they wield such power. Thanks so much for your comment.
Cher Duncombe:
February 18th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Jen, I am so proud of you for taking that CERT class. Every time you write something, I see more and more beautiful layers of your character. As for what you write on the Internet, if anyone in a position of authority were to read it, they would get the best laughs to be found anywhere. So go on Jen; make their day!
Melody J Haislip:
February 19th, 2012 at 1:24 am
Cher, have you seen a new show called “Person of Interest”? The premise is that one of the two main characters has invented a machine to keep track of all of us everywhere, and he and the other man, who acts as his assistant spend all their time tracking people and saving their lives. It’s an interesting show, fast-paced and with lots of action.
Unfortunately it leaves me feeling a little less sanguine than you, because after watching how bat-s**t crazy the Republicans are being in full view of the cameras, I’m more than a little leery about how much more over the line people are behind the scenes. It’s not just the cameras, it’s the fact that they can track you by your cell phone, your home phone and they can watch you through your television. I’d be willing to bet Willard Romney $10K that they’re taking DNA samples from every child that comes into this world. They can watch us from satellites far above the planet, and I suspect that unless you can afford to pay for some really costly and high-tech hardware, your last real trace of privacy disappeared at least 25 years ago.
Cher Duncombe:
February 19th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Melody, I agree that some concerns are warranted but with the rapid advancement of technology, it was inevitable. When I am on trips or vacationing, I use my cell phone as my GPS. It serves me much better than the name brand GPS device I bought some years ago. As for being tracked by the big camera in the sky, I go nowhere that would put me at odds with the government, no matter who is in charge. The comforting thought is that if I am involved in some terrible fate, at least someone will be able to find me! My feeling is that if one is doing nothing subversive or illegal, have at it. The benefits of all this technology far outweigh the negatives.
My brother-in-law was hiking in the mountains two years ago. He fell, broke his leg, and if it were not for his cell phone, he never would have been found let alone rescued. And wouldn’t you know, he is one of those people with super-high security clearance who developed much of this technology!
Dani Heart:
February 19th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Great article Cher. I don’t mind so much being watched. I feel as you do for the most part. If we aren’t doing anything wrong than we have nothing to worry about. I do worry about people crossing the lines. There seems to be such a huge religious war going on in this country lately… and like Melody… it does worry me a bit that the technology meant to protect us can also be used against innocents that don’t share the views of the poeple in power.
Cher Duncombe:
February 19th, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Dani, I certainly agree that there are those who would have us in a theocracy if they were to be elected. And if those very people get elected because this country was silent and not vigilant, we might well see a revisit to the McCarty era. The silence of the electorate is beyond deafening. It is frightening. Thanks so much for your thought-provoking comment.
Melody J Haislip:
February 19th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Cher, maybe I just read and watch too many thrillers, and I’m not up to anything illegal either, but I do worry about the erosion of personal freedoms. And remember, even paranoid people have enemies!
Cher Duncombe:
February 19th, 2012 at 9:51 pm
“…even paranoid people have enemies.” Love that line! We should be concerned about the erosion of freedoms, Melody, but you and I know those threats are not from cameras, but from some in the politics who want to dumb us down. Surveillance is the least of our worries.
Judie:
February 20th, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Yes, we are being watched! We actually SIGN UP to be watched every time we sign on to surf the web. That’s the price we pay for being on Face Book, and all the other social networks, and for buying things from the big on-line stores. But they must inject a mind-altering drug into us right through our monitors, because we seem to forget that our moves through cyberspace are being followed. Politicians are REALLY bad about forgetting that! I’m sure you have all read about Paul Babeu, the county sheriff who is running for political office here in Arizona. He posted photos of himself in his underwear on one of the social networks and he says he thought they would be kept private! Private?? Is he kidding??
Have you read Google’s new privacy policy?? Do you know about the dangers of the Android phone? If you have one, be careful what you say and who you text. Big Brother is watching us all.
Cher Duncombe:
February 20th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Judie, I do have a DROID, and believe me I am always cognizant of texts, etc. Even intelligent people like the Arizona sheriff forget that nothing is sacred. What is in the Arizona water these days? We are all being watched…everywhere. Like so many things, that can be good and it can certainly be bad. I am so glad I am not younger.
Dan LaFollette:
February 21st, 2012 at 11:06 am
Cher, very good article. We are watched in every which way you can think of. With modern technology all of our communications are filtered to find key things they are looking for. This is all good and fine while it’s keeping us safe, but it can be easily turned on anybody to watch for other things. If we get a kook for a president this technology can easily be use as part of their machine for their idiotic war on whatever.
I found it almost humorous that while ole GW Bush was in power that the machine was turned on the glass blowers in my community. While there were actual important things for our safety to contend to, they instead decided to find and prosecute any one that might be making something pot could be smoked from. While not in my community one of the prominent examples of this was the way they went after Tommy Chong.
My bottom line, is that the genie is out of the bottle and we will never have real privacy again. Being spied on for our safety is great as long as you have sane people in charge of the machine. But I do fear the spy machine when when nutty idealists get to play with the controls.
Cher Duncombe:
February 21st, 2012 at 11:56 am
Dan, what you say about who is in charge and how they use technology is absolutely true. When I was spied upon, I was terrified. These days, since 9/11, I try to look at the threats thwarted by government use of spy equipment as a means to keep us safe. In the wrong hands that same technology could be a weapon against us. I am not certain where this rapid advancement may lead. It’s Big Brother come to life. As you say, “the genie is out of the bottle,” and there is no turning back. I have begun to use a phrase that a friend of mine said often many years ago, “It’s safe in the kitchen.” I say this frequently because my computer is in the office. Then again, I now have my tablet and iPhone in the kitchen. Maybe I should try the garage.
Dan LaFollette:
February 21st, 2012 at 1:50 pm
I think what I fear is that when you start speaking out against “Big Brother” when he starts getting abusive, all of the sudden the binoculars can be turned on you and then people with special time devoted to squelching descent start to think of ways of making your life unhappy if you don’t fall in line.
That may be a very cynical view but I do believe that threat is always there.
Cher Duncombe:
February 21st, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Dan, I do agree…the threat is always there. That’s why it is so critical that people be informed voters. Having been an Investigator, I know how easy it is to find information on everyone. I saw so much of the seamy side of life that I could not do it anymore. If it was that easy for me, it is a heartbeat away for all of us. ALL of our information is out there. Birthdates, social security numbers—that’s really all you need. And it would only take one person with a malicious agenda to do harm. Once I stopped investigating for a living, I never looked back. I take people a face-value and much prefer it this way. I will never, I mean never, look up anyone for any reason. I have seen too much harm. Not everyone has your conscience or mine. Now, let’s bow our heads and pray that no one in power commits grievous sins in their abuse of it.
Garry Crystal:
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Great article Cher. I think we are watched a lot more than we think, we are constantly under surveillance the minute we walk out of the door thanks to CCTV. The UK has the highest number of public CCTV cameras of any country in the world. According to stats, the average Briton is caught on camera 300 times per day and there is supposedly one camera for every 32 people in the UK, not to mention all the different ways people are kept tabs on and tracked every day by companies using credit cards, store cards, even loyalty cards. I’ve written articles on the way people are categorised and their shopping habits tracked when using store cards; they are able to tell by spending habits when a person is in debt, unemployed, even when they are going on holiday. I find it strange that whenever I am researching articles online such as credit and debt articles I suddenly get a deluge of emails offering me loans without even entering my details. And look how easy it was for Murdoch’s company to telephone hack whoever he wanted for a story; the scary thing is that at one point he owned Myspace. I’d be surprised if the government wasn’t watching people and storing data on them all the time. It wasn’t too long ago the government wanted a database of every single email that was sent and received by people in the UK, for ‘security’ reasons, that was not given the greenlight due to public protest but who knows if it is actually being done covertly….or maybe i’m just being too paranoid.
Cher Duncombe:
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Garry, you are not being paranoid at all. I have actually read about what you have described in the U.K. Perhaps they justify it because the U.K. has been targeted so much by terrorists. Nevertheless, it is disconcerting and more than a little frightening.
When I worked as an Investigator for the government, a job which I loved by the way, they monitored every email we sent, and told us they were doing it. I also had to submit a schedule each morning to Headquarters of my planned activities for the day—times, locations, cases, etc. If I had stated that I would be in my office at certain times, there was actually an ‘eye’ that appeared on my monitor at intervals and they could SEE whether I was at my desk, as I had said. It can be done so easily.
Another small issue I learned was not to use a store-issued discount card for drug stores. Not only were my prescriptions monitored, but every item I bought was collected in a data base. And of all places, spam would show up on my computer pushing various alternatives to whatever I had purchased within a day of that purchase. I knew then, to throw away those cards because whatever discount they offered was not worth losing a modicum of my privacy.
There is no way to put this genie back in the bottle, Garry. This is scary stuff, no matter what purpose it is used for. Thank you so much for the insights and your great comment.
Garry Crystal:
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:41 pm
It is scary. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few Expat writers weren’t already down in some government files as being anti-government writers.
Cher Duncombe:
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:02 pm
I can almot guarantee that, Garry. But we cannot live in fear. We are not subversive; we simply exercise our rights to free speech and freedom of expression. When they outlaw smoking cigarettes in my own home, then I will worry.
Garry Crystal:
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Cher one of the latest anti-smoking laws they are trying to pass here, banning smoking in your car..what next. Think I will move to Prague where you can still sit and smoke in pubs..happy memories.
Cher Duncombe:
February 22nd, 2012 at 6:55 pm
Garry, it’s a crying shame. Okay, I respect the rights of others but there is a limit. My body; my choice, in my home. Many will argue the insurance factor. I say, let them tax all those 15 pounds or more, overweight and take away their ice cream. Most of the politicians I see blathering about these issues need a good couple of days at the gym and some serious fasting. Sheesh!
Janene:
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:52 am
Yikes! That must have freaked you out. With the technology we have today, there is even less privacy. Big Brother is out there, even if only in the hands of people with cell phones. I’d better watch my step!
Cher Duncombe:
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Janene, yes I was really freaked out! In the next few days, Google will track every place we go on the web. Freaky. But I did read that signing out of Google may thwart some of their information-gathering. Technology…wow.
Savage Lettuce:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:32 am
It creeps me out a little that my anonymity has been snatched away from me (I have always secretly fantasized about just taking off & pulling the plug on my personal grid), but seeing that this is now a way to find lost people, solve or even prevent crimes, I can’t complain too much. Besides, that’s what trenchcoats & false moustaches are for: helping one conceal their true identity.
Great piece!
Cher Duncombe:
April 14th, 2012 at 9:15 am
“Trenchcoats and false mustaches” Love that, Rebecca!