It's hard for NSA to say anything without being attacked for it at the moment.
A few attempts at drafting a superior response led me to realize that, in the present situation, there's almost nothing NSA can say. If those in power were to admit that past actions were wrong and move forward to reduce the scope of surveillance, their opponents would crucify, imprison, and sue them.
For us to move forward, a little forgiveness would go a long way. We have to make change possible.
After all, NSA is doing exactly what the electorate has asked for: moved to prevent small groups and individuals domestic and abroad from taking actions that hurt and kill innocent civilians. Sweeping surveillance is a powerful tool to achieve that end. It's also a long-term structural risk for our society. We have to propose tools with similar performance, or get society to accept a small risk of attack.
When someone brings the first independently-developed biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons to bear in a coordinated attack, alternative defensive solutions and a civil libertarian populace can provide bulwarks to resist the temptation of always monitoring everyone. If surveillance is the only option, it will be used.
A few attempts at drafting a superior response led me to realize that, in the present situation, there's almost nothing NSA can say. If those in power were to admit that past actions were wrong and move forward to reduce the scope of surveillance, their opponents would crucify, imprison, and sue them.
For us to move forward, a little forgiveness would go a long way. We have to make change possible.
After all, NSA is doing exactly what the electorate has asked for: moved to prevent small groups and individuals domestic and abroad from taking actions that hurt and kill innocent civilians. Sweeping surveillance is a powerful tool to achieve that end. It's also a long-term structural risk for our society. We have to propose tools with similar performance, or get society to accept a small risk of attack.
When someone brings the first independently-developed biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons to bear in a coordinated attack, alternative defensive solutions and a civil libertarian populace can provide bulwarks to resist the temptation of always monitoring everyone. If surveillance is the only option, it will be used.