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Is wiretapping by Bakersfield and federal agencies out of control? - By N.L. Belardes

As broad of an issue that surveillance has become in America you might think wiretapping by local government and federal agencies is out of control. Last I heard, wiretapping had gone warrantless on the Federal level. It was in appeals in late 2006 anyway. Locally, regarding the Vincent Brothers case I’ve heard talk of wiretapping having gone on at the Harper residence long before the murders took place. If such wiretapping occurred, then why? Some say it was harassment. But we know how rumors regarding murders can spread.

I’ve written to a blogger who swore his house phones were tapped on occasion. Why?

Who is to say? Surveillance issues have taken America into heated debate. The cry of Homeland Security has rung through our ears, the last shouts through the clatter of fallen towers—other than screaming machinery of war.

With surveillance comes issues of privacy and individual rights. What rights do we really have if Federal and State governments believe they have just cause to peer into our lives at every turn?

You’re driving down a street near the rare occurrence of an American bombing and your best friend riding with you has Arabic features. Your friend isn’t even Arabic. He’s Mexican. Doesn’t matter. The police only see exigent circumstances. Your car and persons are searched without any kind of warrant. Your friend is carted off to prison.

It doesn’t stop there. What about phone tapping? In the name of Homeland Security is it possible all our phones can be tapped anytime the government wants? And how easy would it be for government officials to abuse such power and, falsify stacks of documentation required to tap into private American conversations? Oh wait, it’s warrantless, unless the appeals killed it. Someone please tell me…

Corruption and scandal?

Could it happen in Kern County?

Especially in Bakersfield, the land of forced interrogations and mostly overturned child molestation trials. Don’t you watch 48 Hours? Have you seen Nightline? Do you read the Rolling Stone? Or this site? Are you not aware of the Lords of Bakersfield stories? (read more) Why Bakersfield consistently whines about our DA and then hands him 90% of votes each election is strange, as not even national news, an article in the Rolling Stone, the Bakersfield Californian Lords stories, and a book on Mean Justice can sway popular opinion within Kern County. 90%! And that’s give or take a few percentage points.

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http://www.nlbelardes.com/b...
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N.L. Belardes is a blogger and novelist from Bakersfield, CA.
www.nlbelardes.com
www.myspace.com/nlbelardes