London, 2023 ..

[Jay Vaughan]

> Even yesterday I had a big discussion with a 50 year old friend about this same subject. I hope he got something from it...
> 

Yes, I've lost more than a few friends and associates over this global surveillance state issue.  I've also made a few new friends as a result of it too, and so far its a net positive.  People really do want to know more about the powers that are moving against them, and the fact is that the Snowden leaks have made it even more accessible to the 'normal people' to discuss it with.

Here in Austria, the location of the secret NSA hideout which is used by America to spy on every Austrian has recently been discovered .. and the demonstrations against this site have been quite amusing.  Its nice to see people doing something about it .. and I hope we continue, because its an important issue.  We cannot let the next generation grow up thinking its acceptable for governments to spy on their own citizens, nor those of supposedly peaceful allies, without consequences.

And just yesterday, Wikileaks released the "File #3" which demonstrates that in fact the surveillance apparatus is not just being used by governments - but indeed, by massive multi-national corporations in weeding out competitors.  The targeting of various revolutionary and cultural groups in the US by commercial corporations has been atrocious - I hope we see some heads roll, some day, over this.

j.