A FEW DAYS AGO A GOOF FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TESTIFIED BEFORE A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ABOUT THE USE, IN THIS CASE THE NON-USE OF FACEBOOK IN THE VETTING OF IMMIGRANTS/REFUGEES.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE PERSON TESTIFYING HAS A TITLE AS LONG AS YOUR ARM.
WHEN QUESTIONED AS TO WHY THE DHS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DID NOT USE THE SOCIAL NET WORKS LIKE FACEBOOK, TWITTER OR EVEN GOOGLE. NOW I THINK IT’S WELL KNOWN THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED TO TELL FRIEND AND VIEWERS WHAT THEY HAD FOR DINNER, WHERE THEY WENT AND WHAT THEY DID. THE NETWORKS ARE SET UP TO ADD “FRIENDS” TO YOUR LIST OF FOLKS INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING OR WHAT YOU DID OR WHAT YOU ARE PLANNING TO DO. AS SUCH THESE ARE OPEN FORUMS FOR FRIEND AND ASSOCIATES TO INTERACT.
WHEN QUESTIONED AS TO WHY THESE INFORMATION SOURCES WERE NOT USED HE REPLIED THAT THE DEPARTMENT FEARED BACKLASH FROM PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT ILLEGAL THAT IT WOULD BE VIEWED NEGATIVELY IF IT WAS DISCLOSED QUESTIONED FURTHER HE SAID…(AND THIS IS TAKEN FROM THE OFFICIAL RECORD)..GET READY…” IT WAS PRIMARILY A QUESTION OF OPTICS.” WHAT??
I JUST CHECKED MY HANDY DICTIONARY AND THE DEFINITION OF “OPTICS” IS “THE BRANCH OF SCIENCE CONCERNED WITH VISION AND THE BEHAVIOR OF LIGHT.”
SO THE QUESTION REMAINS…WHY DIDN’T THE AGENCY CHARGED WITH THE PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY FROM THE LIKES OF THE SAN BERDO SHOOTERS USE THESE SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS TO ATTEMPT TO UNCOVER THE MINDSET OF THESE DESPICABLE PEOPLE. “OPTICS,” THE COUNTRY AND TAXPAYERS DESERVE BETTER, MUCH BETTER!!