George Orwell wrote in his novel 1984 of a future America where the government tracks its civilians through monitors placed everywhere thus illuminating all personal privies of any sort. In todays society that so deeply embraces expanding technology we can see that the fictitious government controlled world that Orwell wrote about is on the verge of becoming a reality.
In the article “U.S. and Apple dig in for court fight over encryption” by Devil Barrett ( in Washington DC) and Daisuke Wakabayashi (in San Fransisco) published in theWall Street Journal we can see the possible future framework of a government that can spy on any of its civilians using technology.
The controversy surrounds the December 2nd terrorist attack by mass murderer Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife in San Bernardino California in which the two opened fire on an office holiday party killing 14 people as well as injuring an additional 22 people during the attack. In lieu of the incident the Federal Bureau of Investigation of American requested the help of the global technology company Apple. The FBI requested Apple help them with their on going investigation into the incident by having Apple dis-encrypt attacker Farook’s cell phone to search for further information such as accomplices or future terrorist attack plan. Apple’s CEO Tim D. Cook flat-out denied the FBI’s request for the dis-encryption of Farook’s phone. The FBI took their case to judge Sheri Pym who passed an order requiring Apple to assist the FBI in circumventing Farook’s encrypted password. Judge Pym’s order gave Apple 5 days in which to comply with the courts or challenge the ruling, which Apple CEO Tim D. Cook has already vowed to do.
This is article is an excellent example of the Value-conflict’s Ameliorative theology. This is due to the fact that all Americans can agree that when it comes to terroristic acts of violence that the perpetrator’s should be stopped before they can harm a single person, but is the position of the American government that it should be allowed to hack into anyone ones technical devices (such as smart phones, laptops and tablets with the help of Apple) whenever they deem it a necessity to prevent a future terrorist incident the way to insure the safety of American citizens?
The dilemma arising from the December 2nd shooting is in the FBI’s request to not only have Apple assist in the dis-encryption of Farook’s phone but having Apple lower their encryption software to allow the government a “Back Door” that would allow them to access anyone’s technical device and access all personal information held within as well as to track people’s every movement. Yet if Apple complies with the FBI’s future back door plan the low security would not only allow the American government to hack a person’s phone but criminals, identity thieves and foreign governments as well as long as they had the device number.
So there is one sect of society believes that no matter what Apple should automatically comply with any and all of the FBI’s requests while another sect of society believes that assisting the FBI even in dis-encrypting just one iPhone would open Pandora’s box at the top of a very slippery slope that leads to the government accessing the technology used by its citizens for the simple purpose of spying on them under the gneiss of National Security/Anti-terrorism activity.
The question is in the end too combat future attacks should American’s surrender their 4th amendment rights, those rights that protect them from unlawful search and seizure to assist the American government’s ongoing fight against terrorism?
This reminds me of another book Joseph Heller by the name of “Catch 22”. We already know the NSA has been using the excuse of fighting terrorists/terrorists attacks to actually SPY on its citizens.
So the real question at hand is simply this: Has the Media and American Government INSTILLED SO MUCH FEAR into its citizens that those citizens give them access to ALL THERE TECHNOLOGY (Phones, Laptops, Pcs, Tablets etc.)
I think the fucking fear of a corrupt government currently run by a moronic man-child and his crew of self serving billionaires, Racists,Anti-semetics, Russia loving sexists are already running amok on the American people JUSTIFIYING THEIR ACTIONS BASED ON FEAR NOT FACTS.
This is the 1st Propaganda promoting American President. You want those scumbags to have 24-7 access to ALL of your private lives?! I think that fear of a omnipresent and oppressive government is A REAL AND PRESENT DANGER.
DON’T SUCCUMB TO THE FALSE FEARS.
