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BY BEN VAN ZEE

In print | Published February 7, 2008

I believe there is a bit of confusion about my column. This column is about conspiracy theories. The purpose of this column is to be entertaining, thought-provoking and somewhat truer than many of us would like it to be. Enjoy.

“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” – Benjamin Franklin

Last August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans for expanding access to military spy satellites directed toward the United States. The official purpose of expanding access to this advanced satellite surveillance network is to monitor suspicious activity around the country with regard to terrorist attacks, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, gang activity and pretty much anything dubbed a threat to national security.

That’s no big deal, right? You could argue that government satellites have scrutinized the American public for the past 30 years.

Not really. Until now, the use of domestic spy satellites has been for strictly scientific use by NASA and the U.S .Geological Survey. The quality of the photos taken from satellites in the past has been comparable to something you would see on Google Earth.

In contrast, the Wall Street Journal reported that the new surveillance plans would allow the DHS to use satellites that capture significantly more advanced images. These satellites will be coordinated with domestic patrol planes, allowing the DHS to take images so powerful they can penetrate underground bunkers and see through concrete walls. The Washington Post added that these satellites “will be operating 24 hours a day and using infrared cameras at night.”

Charles Allen, spokesman for the DHS, told CBS News, “The full capabilities of these systems are unknown outside of the intelligence community, because they are among the most closely held secrets in government.” Not only are we not exactly sure what this program fully entails, the Washington Post quoted the DHS spokesman as saying that they “envision ‘more robust access’” in the future.

But we trust the government, so it doesn’t really matter, right? They probably already have millions of photos of us all, and they’re just trying to prevent terrorism.

Not really. Access to these satellites doesn’t stop at the federal level. The Washington Post also noted that expanded access to these satellites will also be available to many civilian agencies, and will be used to enforce criminal and civil laws on the federal, state and local levels.

The program has already received funding from Congress due to DHS’s claim for an “urgent need” to expand access to these satellites. How should you feel about this? Charles Allen, top intelligence officer for the DHS, told the New York Times, “My view is that no American should be concerned.”

Despite Allen’s attitude, the program has raised the brows of quite a few congresswomen and men who had the program put on hold last August. Two months later, a DHS spokesman told the New York Times, “We are totally confident this is going to go forward.” And lo and behold, the Wall Street Journal reported a little over a month ago that the program is now being finalized.

None of us should be concerned, huh? I’m sure the DHS wishes none of us were concerned. That would make their goals [unknown to the American public] a hell of a lot easier to accomplish.

They wouldn’t have to justify themselves to Congress and could do whatever they pleased. Why the urgency? Do they really think they’re going to miss something? Or are they trying to get this program passed as quickly as possible so they can evade the eye of the media? A better question is: why don’t most Americans even know about this? Why doesn’t it attract more attention?

You may think that since you don’t do anything illegal, the domestic surveillance program won’t affect you. But as Kate Martin, director of a non-profit government watch organization, Center for National Security Studies, told the Washington Post, “They are laying the bricks one at a time for a police state.”

Ben is a freshman. He can be reached via e-mail at bvanzee1@swarthmore.edu.

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