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GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in OpenLab2009.
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Topic Categories: Ethics • Politics • Streaming videos
Posted on: July 11, 2009 7:09 AM, by "GrrlScientist"
tags: politics, American constitution, national security, terrorism, Bill Maher, streaming video
Should America curtail our constitutional rights under the guise of preventing terrorist attacks? NO NO NO. I just wanted to remind you of an important discussion that occurred nearly one year ago when American was trapped in the clutches of a lunatic moron who aspired to be "dictator" -- I wonder when Obama will finally stop all this invasive secret governmental spying on Americans? [3:41]
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Comments
It's disgusting how the government uses the implements of tyranny, but most people are so cowed that they willingly sacrifice freedom and safety in the mistaken belief that "big brother" is benevolent and will not abuse his tyrannical powers. It's fine until your own neighbors, family and friends start disappearing.
Posted by: MadScientist | July 11, 2009 7:47 AM
I wonder what "the program" actually is that everyone is so upset about?
What could be worse than torture? Certainly not wiretapping or cybercrime, and that was actually cleared through FISA anyway. Murder, perhaps, but I suspect that it involves "false flag" terrorism. The CIA has done this before, trying to draw out enemies of the United States but confusing the regular military in the process.
Posted by: Don Thieme | July 11, 2009 9:00 AM
@Don Thieme: People in the USA were being abducted by authorities, held without charge, no relatives/lawyers informed, lawyers withheld, etc. Elsewhere in the world people were being abducted and shipped off to torture camps around the world. I don't see that we have any need for such Stalinist behavior. While the supporters of such tyranny claim it's "for the public good" so far they haven't been able to demonstrate any great benefits - they have a handful of stories that they like to crow about, but otherwise thousands of people with no ties to terrorism are being abused and for all you know you can be next.
Posted by: MadScientist | July 11, 2009 6:48 PM
People always make mention of honoring the troops. Well, is throwing away what they were told they were fighting and dying for honoring the troops? Such a pathetic double-standard here that it is literally sickening.
Posted by: Bob Dobbs | July 13, 2009 6:39 PM