America does not need an official snoop operation where neighbor can undermine neighbor.

Anyone familiar with the chilling tales about the various types of “watchdogs” at work during the Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin regimes in Germany and the Soviet Union is certain to shudder at the prospect of any system that encourages similar behavior in America. How many were ruined or slaughtered because of such programs?

Security for our citizens and the government is one thing; institutionalized encouragement of spying and informing on each other is something quite different.

The U.S. Postal Service immediately refused to take part in a “security” venture proposed by Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft. The rejection of Ashcroft’s plan soon drew countless supporters for its stand. It was not long before other agencies and people who might be asked to snoop and tell were backing the postal people. And that’s good.

Suppose you have a neighbor who does not like how you take care of your yard, park your motor vehicles or come and go at various times of the day and night. Under the Hitler-esque format for informers, it would be a simple thing for such a critic to conjure up some alleged “crime against the state” that could lead to unfounded charges, jail time or worse.

It is not laughable. It happened repeatedly as Germans and Soviets tried to curry favor with officials by “turning in” so-called traitors. Because they didn’t have to stand up and face their targets, it was easy for pettiness and viciousness to take hold. Interestingly, some of the informants eventually were done in by other tattletales intent on vengeance or getting even for something, no matter how slight.

Such back-stabbing can become a disease in troubled times.

One of the tenets of sane life in these United States is that accused people have the opportunity to face their accusers, who must be held accountable for their charges. Quite a contrast to the sneaks who can tell and run with no consequences, as has happened at such high costs in other societies.

There is no question that our officials need all the vital information they can accrue about anyone who would do harm to the nation and its citizens. Everyone should be more alert and aggressive in trying to ferret out such people, preferably before they can commit crimes against society.

But any snooping system that encourages vindictiveness and secrecy to get others into trouble is unacceptable.

We have enough gossips and slanderers in our midst already. The age of the Internet has helped these ranks proliferate. Fortunately, however, there are avenues to travel to deal with such people and we can only hope the arrests and penalties get steeper.

The anonymous tipster can help a society in many ways where terrorists and other criminals are concerned. But such activity should be voluntary and individualized rather than sanctioned by the government.