Part of the government’s program to combat terrorism.
On the surface, it seems sort of reasonable, but I worry about the “war on terrorism” becoming another McCarthy-esque witch hunt. Disagree with the government? Then clearly, you’re with the terrorists!
From Tom Tomorrow’s web log:
Ummm… If I join TIPS do I get a brown shirt?
Ooh, I don’t like it AT ALL. It will lead to McCarthyism at its worst, and just make everybody distrust one another at its best.
Slippery slope. Yuk.
It feels very 1984ish.
I think people should be encouraged to take more care of themselves rather than spy on their neighbors. TIPS is supposed to be for truckers who see something suspicious by a bridge or a dockworker who sees a suspicious boat and stuff. But instead of encouraging a report to the government, I think poeple should be encouraged to pull over and see for themselves. If “evildoers” believed that the public would actually stand up for themselves, that might do more for safety than 100 government programs.
As it stands, we’re supposed to rely on the government to protect us.
I’d like to sign up as a joke. I’d be like Ralph Drabble calling in traffic tips. I’d make myself a badge and everything. I’ll threaten anyone who crosses me by flashing my badge and saying I will report them as a suspected terrorist.
Sucks. Definately reminds me of 1984 and McCarthyism.
There is a petition against it here: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/TIPS/petition.html
We’re turning into East Germany. In particular, encouraging mail carriers to report people is the government’s way of spying on the mail without a warrant. mblackwell, thanks for the link to the petition.
BTW, who would be the people we should write to for the best effect? The President? Our Congresspeople?
I’d like to join up and start reporting every political and authority figure for suspicious behavior. Trying to tell everyone what to do seems pretty suspicious to me, after all.
I’m sort of with gruven – it would be tolerable as long as it wwere about people who have a chance to observe certain unusual activities in their everyday comings and goings, and can tell what is unusual e.g. the truckers/shippers. But how the heck can it stop there?
Will we have to wonder if everyone you come into contact with is a potential snitch; maybe we won’t go as far as having organized, named “Comités de Defensa de la Revolución” but if the effect is the same… I most definitely DON’T want us going there.
…but maybe, before that happens, the cases of premature, honestly/stupidly mistaken, frivolous, overreactive, abusive and/or just plain maliciously false reports will lead the system to rapidly degrade into worthlesness.
I can imagine it also could be abused-people with a grudge against someone, reporting their neighbor.
I’m going to risk a Godwin pulled on me and say this sounds so Nazi it isn’t even funny.
It also reminds me of the stories one of my professors told us about growing up in the Soviet Union. shudder