Where Do We Draw The Line?

Is the recent explosion of social media scaring you? Whether you like it or not, it’s everywhere, and it’s growing like a weed. Problem is, if you are on Facebook or Twitter, you know that “big brother” is watching and compiling everything they can. From facial recognition to anti-American posts, the government has decided it has a responsibility to keep an eye on us, touting security and public safety as they dig into everyone’s personal files without permission.

Who’s at fault here? Is it us for putting our personal info and pictures on a social media site? The general public really doesn’t think this through, putting stuff out there without a care. What if you post that you are going to the Middle East? That puts you on their list of possible anti-American terrorists, and from that point on, you are being watched even closer. Every time you fly anywhere, you will be treated as a terrorist until all your items have been ransacked and your body has been searched.

And, God forbid you should post something negative about the way our country is run. From that point on, someone somewhere is watching your every email, listening to every phone conversation, and keeping an eye on your property from above.

I was forced to join Facebook a few years ago by an employer so I could gain a following. Facebook really is a quick way to invite friends to an event or draw a crowd to a column. With a click of a button, I can reach 3,000 people, and in my profession that is a great tool. Part of me thinks, “Let them watch me: I have nothing to hide.” But then I read about people being arrested for catching rain in barrels, and I wonder.

As I struggle to get “off the grid,” I guess I do look like I have something to hide. Of course, I have a distaste for big government getting into my business, especially when they are against me trying to circle our wagons and leave less of a paper trail. But I do want to be protected from terrorists, and I realize there will be some personal sacrifices involved in having my country help keep me safe.

So, where’s the line? Should I give up documenting or commenting on my daily activity? Should I unplug my phone, television, and computer? Or will doing that put me on another list? It’s a personal decision for each one of us, one we all have to deal with in our own way. I think I should not count on my country to keep me safe, as they haven’t done much of a job at that so far. This may be the root of the problem. My ancestors had a loaded shotgun just inside the door, and any time a stranger came up the driveway, they pointed that gun for protection.

Now days, we can’t point a gun at a stranger on our property without getting labeled as a “vigilante.” For whatever reason, our rights have been taken away, slowly but surely. Now big government wants us to trust them again with information about us, and they don’t want to ask first. Heck, they don’t even want to tell us when they steal our personal info.

At any rate, I will still use my computer, as it is how I make a living. But I am scared. I put my faith in God, but I am very cautious. What more can I do?