[salemh]

It is not true that the government doesn't care about the rights of individuals just because you want it to be true. Those that are employed are individuals too, and are not being magically compelled to carry terrible secrets against their individual moral codes and ethics. They are carrying out a mission of defense which extends into the technology of this century -- even cars have had 100 years for us to deliberate and come up with the current system of laws that govern that technology.

Not sure how you are going to be able to substantiate this in any way, as the public can only judge the NSA based on the reactions of the establishment against its detractors and whistleblowers, lies and damned lies, etc.

So this may be a case of "don't blame the peon's" but is deflecting from the issues at hand of abhorrent abuses of power.

While the legal framework for their actions are up for debate, their collective character is not.

How so?