To the editor:
How can anyone be “offended” when caught indulging in the very offensive behavior of snooping and spying on American citizens? What is the governmental purpose of monitoring Twitter, Facebook and/or email for the name of “Brownback”? There are no justifiable reasons in a country upholding free speech.
Aren’t the behaviors exhibited by our governor those demonstrated by dictators and usually associate with thin-skinned, low-self-esteem or psychologically disturbed individuals?
He so publicly parades his religion that his incident begs the question: What was he setting as an example? Was this an example of “do unto others…,” “forgive seven times seventy…” or “judge not…”? It’s rather difficult to find a Christian tenet in his actions, isn’t it?
The governor should put the tax money and manpower that he is wasting on spying and harassment back into the school coffers. May he contemplate the shame that he has brought to his office and to the state of Kansas.
Comments
hujiko 1 year, 5 months ago
Emma lied!!! Brownback deserves an apology for her slander!! Wahhhhhhh!
/sarcasm
Armored_One 1 year, 5 months ago
Yeah, the governor should win the 2011 Overreactment of a Politician in Office award, but spying?
Really?
Did you even look the word up in the dictionary before you started scribbling so furiously? The Internet isn't private. That, in and of itself, negates the possibility of spying.
If you don't believe me, Google your own name. You might be shocked at how many times your name comes up, along with various things you have posted online at one time or another.
The only privacy that exists online is before you click the 'Post' button. After that, you are fair game.
Did_I_say_that 1 year, 5 months ago
"Google your own name. You might be shocked at how many times your name comes up, along with various things you have posted online at one time or another."
I don't think she would. It appears that Ms Karl's pastime is writing letters to the editors of various newspapers.
http://www.google.com/search?gcx=c&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Sarah+Karl%2C+McLouth
beatrice 1 year, 5 months ago
Your point being...?
Did_I_say_that 1 year, 5 months ago
I was simply countering armed_One's point to "Google your own name. You might be shocked at how many times your name comes up, along with various things you have posted online..."
I don't believe that Ms Karl would be shocked and would be aware of the Internets' return search of her name.
Armored_One 1 year, 5 months ago
I said might, not definately.
For someone that purposely plays the word game with other people, especially when it comes to defending your stances from time to time, you certainly seem eager to do it to others.
Did_I_say_that 1 year, 5 months ago
Armored_One - I was not attempting to have a word fight with you ... Bea started that; she is ornery that way. In retrospect, "prove" your point would have been a better choice of words then "counter." My bad.
Merry Christmas!
fred_mertz 1 year, 5 months ago
Every governor, since social media was invented, has had a person looking for references to them. Before social media and continuing today, Governors and other officials scour the newspapers for articles relating to them and what they are doing. Some hire clipping companies to do it for them.
So be outraged about government officials spending tax dollars on this, but don't pretend like Brownback is the only one doing it.
Aileen Dingus 1 year, 5 months ago
You beat me to it Fred.
Everybody in public office, every company that does business on a scale beyond local... they all have someone who follows the news, social media- anyplace where the "name" can be found. It isn't spying, it's smart business practice.
What you DO with that information, however...
beatrice 1 year, 5 months ago
"Every governor, since social media was invented, has had a person looking for references to them."
Source?
Even if it is true (and I just don't believe it to be), how many would bother to respond to high schoolers' silly tweets?
beatrice 1 year, 5 months ago
Provide a source to back it up, that is all I'm saying. However, your personal history with two politicians is not enough to convince me.
fred_mertz 1 year, 5 months ago
My source is my personal experience with sebilus's and parkinson's offices and their staff that did this work.
Other state agencies have twitter accounts - besides tweeting don't you think they are looking for related stuff too?
It is not like this stuff is out there on google, but ask around and you'll find it to be true.
jaywalker 1 year, 5 months ago
Aaaah. Voices of reason on the LJW. Thank you to all that have posted thus far.
Solomon 1 year, 5 months ago
Does the letter writer know that :President Obama monitors Twitter for references about himself?
rtwngr 1 year, 5 months ago
Does the letter writer know that the White House has a website where you can report someone making disparaging remarks on the social media about Barack Obama? Talk about "Big Brother."
Agnostick 1 year, 5 months ago
Link? Can you prove that the web site in question is registered to the federal government? Or is it maybe registered to GoDaddy.com ?
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 5 months ago
You mean Newsmax?
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 5 months ago
So, you don't mean Newsmax?
kansasfaithful 1 year, 5 months ago
It only makes it worse for Governor Brownback because he is Christian. This hopeless little lady is not mad about spying but the fact that he is a Christian. Many employee's will peek at your Facebook account before hiring just to see if your honest, truthful, or a blabber mouth. The more you know before you hire the less you will have to deal with after you hire. We just had a talk about this issue with other employee's and all realize this little teenybopper messed up and we also feel pretty certain that it won't be the last. If you haven't learned your lesson your going to repeat your mistakes. Her school principal tried to teach her that but people like this writer is doesn't get it.
Bob_Keeshan 1 year, 5 months ago
Actually, more and more Kansans are mad that folks like you use "he is Christian" as a blanket defense, as a crutch, and as a way to claim victim status. You also use it as an excuse and as a panacea for all actions.
I suggest you consider Brownback as a Governor first, as a Christian second. You'll be sorely disappointed.
kernal 1 year, 5 months ago
This little statement of yours speaks volumes, math.
beatrice 1 year, 5 months ago
"The office of Kansas governor was shamed before Brownback occupied it"
Yep. That is why Brownback apologized.
Agnostick 1 year, 5 months ago
More misguided Zombie Luv for a newspaper reporter. A restraining order may soon be necessary.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 1 year, 5 months ago
If you have nothing to hide, live your life with integrety and honesty, then why would you think you would be a target? Those that whine the loudest about infringments generally are the most guilty. Maybe they should ramp up this so called spying and go after things like accepting disability, food stamps, welfare, unemployment and the such.
The ones I know that worry the most about their privacy are pot heads.
mloburgio 1 year, 5 months ago
Twitter & Sam Brownback’s Fearful Authoritarians
If you think state government should bully high schoolers for exercising their right to free speech, that it has a right to poke through the medical records of women who’ve had abortions, that there shouldn’t be a separation between church and state, and you’re A-OK with the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity’s effort to wipe out just about all functions of the federal government that benefit anyone other than the obscenely rich, but you only hold those views when your party is in power, than your dream job is working as communications director for Kansas Republican governor Sam Brownback. http://rootedcosmopolitan.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/twitter-sam-brownbacks-fearful-authoritarians/
jayhawkinsf 1 year, 5 months ago
It seems to me that one of the pre-conditions for having been spied upon would be an expectation of privacy. Those that use twitter or other social media have certain expectations. Is privacy one of them? As a non-user myself, I can't answer that question with any great confidence. However, from what I've heard, privacy is not one of the things people expect when using social media.
chootspa 1 year, 5 months ago
Spying? No. Overreaction? Yes.
Lord knows I'm not a Brownback fan, but monitoring Twitter is easy, cheap, common, and smart. Hunting down the person who tweeted and threatening their high school unless she apologized? That's dumb. That's also something his PR person did, not him.
Now, let us get back to hating on him for defunding the arts, turning down federal funding, systematically destroying education, and working very hard to make sure his rich buddies get payouts while the rest of the state gets worse.
sunflower-voter 1 year, 5 months ago
And in yesterday's New York Times article "Anti-Abortion Groups Are Split on Legal Tactics" Mark Gietzen, director of the Kansas Coalition for Life, is praised Ohio's proposed "heartbeat" anti-abortion bill as “'the most exciting thing that has happened in the pro-life movement since Roe v. Wade,” adding that a heartbeat bill modeled on Ohio’s would be introduced when the Kansas Legislature convenes in January.'" It is, sadly, impossible to avoid legislative interference by the Family Research Council and the American Family Association in Governor Brownback's theocratic administration.
snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 5 months ago
Do you remember http://pjmedia.com/rogerkimball/2009/08/06/something-fishy-obamas-latest-pr-disaster/ ?
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 5 months ago
There's nothing wrong with Brownback monitoring social or other media for what people are saying about him. But it's not OK for him to seek to intimidate those who say unflattering things, especially kids.
jaywalker 1 year, 5 months ago
Sontag informed the sponsoring group of the student's tweet. Oooooo! Intimidation!!!!
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 5 months ago
For what purpose if not to make sure that it doesn't happen again? And how do you make sure that it doesn't happen again-- intimidate the "guilty" student.
jaywalker 1 year, 5 months ago
"For what purpose if not to make sure that it doesn't happen again? "
Right. Because Emma bought a season pass to the capitol building and had daily appointments w/ the Governor all lined up.
" And how do you make sure that it doesn't happen again-- intimidate the "guilty" student."
Nobody was "intimidated". Sontag told the sponsor. The sponsor informed the school principal. Pretty common sense natural progression. None of which screams "intimidation." A student was rebuked for poor behavior. Oh dear.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 5 months ago
But you fail to state any good reason for Brownback to say anything about it to anyone.
Once you stake out a position, you stick to it like a pit bull, no matter how silly or indefensible it is.
jaywalker 1 year, 5 months ago
"But you fail to state any good reason for Brownback to say anything about it to anyone."
That might be due to the fact that Brownback didn't say anything to anyone. Ya think?
And as you've been schooled before, a common sense explanation for why Sontag informed the sponsor was because it was the correct thing to do. "Pardon me, but you have a student that's not representing your organization in a very flattering manner."
"no matter how silly or indefensible it is."
Then one would think you'd actually have just a little success in refuting such a position. Yet all you seem capable of is distorting facts. Pity.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 5 months ago
"Pardon me, but you have a student that's not representing your organization in a very flattering manner."
Underlying message-- intimidate them so they (and anyone else considering it) don't do it again.
vertigo 1 year, 5 months ago
""Pardon me, but you have a student that's not representing your organization in a very flattering manner."
You mean: "Pardon me, but we have a Governor that's not representing the state in a very flattering manner."
FIFY
imastinker 1 year, 5 months ago
WHAT???!!!???!??!?
You call this spying but aren't upset about Obama's extension of the wiretap law?
It's not spying if it's in the public domain. End of story.
Cappy 1 year, 5 months ago
It's not really spying, but is a little creepy. I'm sure he dreads coming across the hashtag "RecallBrownback" in large numbers.
Agnostick 1 year, 5 months ago
It's not spying to look at something that is visible to everyone else, or something publicly displayed.
A lot of this ridiculous hullabaloo could've been avoided with a little personal responsibility on the part of the user.
Twitter Login: Password:
Settings Account
Name Username Email Language Time Zone Tweet Location
You may delete all location information from your past Tweets. This may take up to 30 minutes.
Tweet Media
Tweet Privacy Protect my Tweets
Your Tweets are currently protected; only those you approve will receive your Tweets. Your future Tweets will not be available publicly. Tweets posted previously may still be publicly visible in some places.
HTTPS Only Always use HTTPS Use a secure connection where possible to encrypt your account information.
Many of these same options are available on Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Photobucket and most every other social media web site/application. It's up to the user to set the level of privacy they're comfortable with. As with everything else in life, there's a tradeoff: the more privacy you hide behind, the less likely you'll be seen/found by those long-lost friends and associates. More security makes social media less "social."
Yes, it's outrageous and ridiculous for tax dollars to be spend on someone like Ilsa Sontag, She Wolf of the ReichsWebs--but ultimately, you're responsible for your own social media.
Armstrong 1 year, 5 months ago
This rant doesn't hold much water. Twitter is public access. Kinda like spying in Sesame Street
hear_me 1 year, 5 months ago
Was Brownback using homeland security equipment to scan Twitter, Facebook, and email? If so, that is a misuse of federal funds.
Mike_Gerhardt 1 year, 5 months ago
There are plenty of reasons for agencies to monitor social networks. You would be surprised at how many criminals will put their photos online and brag about their illegal activities. Convicted felons pose with weapons online, in clear violation of their paroles or probation. Radicals announce their plane to conduct criminal acts online. If you put it online, you have absolutely no expectation of privacy.
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