This article talked about Laura Poitras and her life through the spying of the American government. It is shocking that the government would go to such lengths to harass a person about a crime they did not commit. Poitras was held in airports on multiple occasions, being questioned for hours. If this wasn't bad enough, at one point they told her she wasn't allowed to take notes for fear of her using the pen as a weapon. I see this as a blatant disregard for her right as an American. She was breaking no laws by taking notes, and was actually doing the most appropriate thing for the situation she was in. I find this appalling. I realize that it is necessary for the government to do something to keep our country safe, but what was done to Laura Poitras was a step too far. In her 40+ encounters with airport security, there was absolutely no evidence found for crimes against America, yet she was being wrongfully detained due to assumptions.
I also find it strange that we have to take such massive precautions when dealing with government surveillance. Poitras had to stop using cell phones, and uses specialized computers to do her work. Everything she does regarding her work has to stay a secret for fear of the government becoming involved. Edward Snowden had to leave the country and can only communicate his important findings through encrypted messages over the internet. I find it very hard to believe that the government's work is for our protection when people need to flee the country to talk about how the they are trying to keep us safe. The information coming from this article is mind boggling, and will keep me questioning the government for the near future.
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