Apparently you can justify all manner of intrusion into peoples' privacy by saying you are after the terrorists. Here's the latest outrage:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States plans to screen thousands of people employed by aid organizations that receive funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development looking for possible links to terror organizations, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.
Outlined in a recent Federal Register notice, the program demands for the first time that nongovernmental organizations file detailed information on key personnel who apply for or manage funds distributed by the U.S. aid agency, the Post said.
So, now the Bush Administration wants a list of names so it can check it against its own database of terrorists, criminals, liberals and other known enemies of America.
How much longer before they start asking children to turn in their treasonous parents?
The Post said organizations would be required to submit a broad range of information on key personnel, including name, address, date and place of birth, citizenship, Social Security and passport numbers.
The data collected "will be used to conduct national security screening" to ensure these persons have no connection to entities or individuals "associated with terrorism" or "deemed to be a risk to national security," the Post reported, citing the Federal Register notice.
Oh sure. They're just trying to keep us safe. I'm sure there won't be any misuse of this information. Nah. Only people wearing tinfoil hats would imagine such a thing, right?