Narrative

June 5, 2143

Ive been an analyst for the NCID for almost ten years now. Never has the Directorate been given such broad privileges as it now has. Even its predecessor, the National Security Agency didnt have such far -reaching powers. Recent events have spurred our government to expand the Directorates surveillance programs immensely. The people supported the American National Security Act without really understanding its implications, or even what it authorizes. As a member of the National Clandestine Intelligence Directorate, writing about this could land me with treason charges. However, I feel it is important that someone document the dangers that my agency poses.

Congress passed the ANSA under the pretense of protecting Americans from Chinese and Russian subterfuge. The law allows many radical exceptions to the Constitution that simply shouldnt be ignored. It allows the NCID to apply its surveillance programs to all communications within the United States. I have personally overseen the collection of data of American citizens without regard to privacy or presumption of innocence, as per the directions of our surveillance program. Ive tried discussing my moral reservations about this with my colleagues, but they are far too worried about the implications of disputing the Directorates practices.

Citizens outside of the government arent even aware of the scope of our surveillance. On my way home the other day I overheard a man talking about his disdain for the administration over the phone. Knowing the parameters my agency operates within, he is now undoubtedly on a suspect watch list. Abuses like this have quickly become commonplace. We were told yesterday to begin cataloging every name that enters the system for future reference. Owing to the speed and coverage of our computers, we will have a complete database on American citizens within a few weeks.

There must be other people within the Directorate that see the harm of this. However, voicing ones concerns may fall into the newly broadened definition of probable cause. My department alone has already authorized hundreds of arrests based on purely circumstantial evidence concocted by computers. I dont know if I can continue to participate in this. Before it came into effect, I foolishly believed that the ends would justify the means. Instead, our government has replaced the threats of foreign terrorism and war with the threat of totalitarianism. Sadly, the American people do not even know this threat exists. They are blissfully ignorant as their lives are scrutinized to the smallest detail.

I constantly fear for my family and friends, who arent privy to the facts of our surveillance program. I think its time to tell them the truth about the National Security Act before someone close to me ends up in an interrogation

room. I would be committing treason, but its a risk I am willing to take. My outlook for the future is decidedly grim. I envision the administration hailing the success of the Directorate and augmenting its surveillance even further. By then the concepts of privacy and freedom of speech will no longer exist.

Who knows how many innocent Americans I will catalog tomorrow. Eventually, we will have to fight back, or America will deteriorate into something less than a country, where security trumps freedom, and rights are nothing but suggesstions to be ignored.