The authorities of United States have a long history of spying on
those who actively participate in the nation's democracy through free
speech and other civic and community activities. Over the years,
citizens and the judiciary have tried to rein in state surveillance by
asserting First Amendment protections of free speech and Fourth
Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. From
the Palmer Raids through COINTELPRO, periods of perceived national
emergency have typically eroded these protections. Today, a sprawling
industry has mushroomed, financed by taxpayer money, ostensibly to
protect the nation from terrorism and other threats. As this industry
consolidates and grows, sophisticated surveillance technologies pose new
threats to privacy and the right of association.
-- Heidi Boghosian (National Lawyers Guild Executive Director and co-host of Law and Disorder Radio) from her new book Spying on Democracy: Government Surveillance, Corporate Power and Public Resistance.