“Mohammed Raghead”
— Placeholder name for a surveillance target, used in an NSA memo on how to properly format internal memos.
http://lonestarcelt.tumblr.com/post/91340609211/mohammed-raghead
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/article/2014/07/09/under-surveillance/
Racism and government stupidity are the real threat to America's national security
That's the key lesson in Glenn Greenwald's big scoop
The number of people who would commit terrorist acts is tiny, and mass surveillance of innocents not only typically fails to catch anyone, it confirms the arguments of extremists and deepens the alienation that gives them cover.
The political pressure to look "tough" and the self-justifying economic logic of the gigantic security apparatus will always trump long-term considerations. But it's still worth pushing against what seems like the brute-force, instant gratification answer over weak, soft-headed liberal concerns. It might just be the manly men who are the real threat to long-term security.
http://theweek.com/article/index/264469/racism-and-government-stupidity-are-the-real-threat-to-americas-national-security