The cat is out of the bag at the National Security Agency after The Guardian newspaper in Britain released information concerning widespread domestic spying on Americans by the National Security Agency of the United States.
Originally, it was reported that tens of millions of Americans who use Verizon as their phone provider were having their phone usage records provided to the government. This information, a huge amount of data, would indicate who called whom, when, and for how long.
The following day, a top secret power point present presentation was leaked, along with several slides indicating all the major communication companies and Internet companies were cooperating with the government to allow access to a vast array of information on people using their services.
Oakland, NJ may not be anyone’s target for terrorism, but The United States as a nation has enough people in the world seeking to do it harm, diminish it’s influence, or simply steal technology secrets; and, it’s understandable that the United States government would be seeking avenues in how to trace, track, capture or even prevent damage to it’s people and the nation.
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The wholesale data mining of the Internet by the government rightfully gives some people pause with images of Big Brother, but for many people it was considered a fact.
This wide acceptance of government intrusion was best exemplified in The Simpsons Movie which portrayed a huge National Security Agency office with thousands of government employees listening in on everyone’s conversations.
As the camera spans, row, upon row of employees listening to inane conversations, one agent overhears a Simpson cell phone call, jumps up and yells, “The government actually found someone we’re looking for! YEAH, BABY, YEAH!”
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The National Security Agency, while being ridiculed in the Simpsons Movie, should have seen the opportunity to prepare for any eventual leak of their secret program by incorporating the best spokesperson possible to make the NSA seem less spooky – The Simpsons.
These are the actual secret power point slides used as part of a training program for government spies and analysts – the one exception being the inclusion of Homer Simpson.
The Simpsons, specifically Homer, makes for an outstanding spokesperson on a variety of levels. One, no one would believe these were authentic government documents had an image of Homer Simpson been included on each one; the government would have had perfect plausible deniability.
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Secondly, the use of Homer Simpson would have tempered the public outrage should the program be exposed in the press.
Instead of a sinister image of Big Brother watching every move, every email, every click on the Internet, and every phone call — it would be an image of a bumbling buffoon, which is the image most Americans have of their government.
The Simpsons are also very authoritative in that the characters are well versed on American society, laws, and legislation.
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With regard to The Patriot Act which allows for secret government courts, secret warrants, and apparently the wholesale mining of data on the Internet – The Simpsons addressed the issue admirably in the episode “Bart Mangled Banner” where the Simpsons are arrested for violating the new “Government Knows Best Act”.
The “Government Knows Best” act satirized the Patriot Act which was passed in 2001 to fight terrorism in the United States and abroad. In this episode, The Simpsons are thrown into jail with the likes of Bill Clinton, Michael Moore, The Dixie Chicks, and Elmo who all also violated the act.
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The fear of our government is a two edged sword. Who would not want their mortal enemies to realize that powerful forces are being deployed to interdict and foil the destruction of our society? In cartoons characters can be blown up only to survive again. Real life acts of terrorism have permanent and tragic consequences.