Backdoors, data mining, profiling, surveillance, eavesdropping…sorry, but I just have a hard time getting worked up over these things at this late date.

We (American Muslims)—and I think I can speak for the majority here—have pretty much assumed that since 9/11 we’re being watched, as a group, especially in places like NYC (where the NYPD has admitted to doing this for years with zero useful results as of 2012.

I’ve been been an LGF member for 3.5 years now and have been present for discussions where certain people approved of this tactic. I’ve also seen approval of extraordinary rendition, torture (or “enhanced interrogation techniques” if using the euphemism makes one’s conscience feel cleaner), targeted assassination of US citizens, etc. All of this was A-OK as long as the target was Muslims, no matter that the vast majority of us were and are completely innocent, patriotic, law abiding citizens.

It’s been well over a decade that I haven’t picked up the phone to call a friend or relative, texted someone, emailed someone, or gone to the mosque without assuming that the government is watching & listening with the full approval of most non-Muslim Americans. So, yeah, cry me a river over your effing supposed loss of privacy.

Yes, I feel especially bitter about all this every time we approach another September 11th, but this time the whining over the NSA is really getting on my last nerve. You don’t want something done to you (eventually)? Then don’t approve it when it’s done to others. This is kindergarten Golden Rule level ethics.