It seems the courts through a Freedom of information act lawsuit is standing by the U.S. government and not allowing the release of the U.S. governments plan to shut down the internet and cell phone service (plan SOP303) in times of emergencies. In other words if there was civil unrest.
The reason why the lawsuit was filed in the first place was due to when all cell phone service was cut in San Francisco during the BART unrest.
The court is being asked to revisit their ruling.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in February sided (PDF) with the government and ruled that the policy did not need to be disclosed under a Freedom of Information Act request from the Electronic Privacy Information Center. The court agreed with the government's citation of a FOIA exemption that precludes disclosure if doing so "could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual."
EPIC asked the court to revisit its ruling, arguing that the decision, "if left in place, would create an untethered 'national security' exemption'" in FOIA law. On Friday, the court ordered (PDF) the government to respond—a move that suggests the appellate court might rehear the case.
What is as always the case is the U.S.'s position around the world is "Do as we say not as we do".
Remember the U.S. State Department has always condemned other countries for shutting down the internet and cell phone service during unrest. They condemned Egypt and Syria in 2011 during their unrest for shutting down services.
The U.S. will not release in what situations they would/will cut off all services. That is a major problem considering U.S. citizens do not 'trust' their government regarding our civil liberties anymore after decades of our rights being abolished.
Just as the Patriot Act is coming up June 1st for renewal, of which I have no doubt will sail through the Congress and Obama will sign it. Even if millions called to express their displeasure of the Patriot Act and our Constitutional Rights being shredded due to it, they will ignore the people and do as they are told.
The fact that the U.S. even has a plan shows our civil liberties are not provided no matter what. It proves the U.S. government will take away our rights in seconds because they can. They will do the same thing here and it has been said they did it during the Ferguson Missouri unrest using 'Stingray'.
After watching Last Week with John Oliver's video asking people in Times Square who Edward Snowden is and the answers given, I fully realized U.S. citizens are the ones who just don't give a damn. The U.S. citizens themselves are the ones to blame for what has happened in this country. We are the ones who have allowed the government to take away our rights, through many decades of ignoring what D.C. did. We are the ones who have allowed the government and media to have us live through 'fear' and thus allow our Constitution to be shredded due to following the 'fear' mongering.
The truth is, it is up to all of us to change what is happening. But we first have to change ourselves. We have to stop following the carrot put in front of us by the media and government, leading us to our own demise of freedoms in being told what we are suppose to think. We need to start thinking for ourselves. We need to start believing in ourselves and not believe what others tell us to. We need to stand for freedom which is everyone's natural born right. We need to do all of this in an attitude of Love for ourselves and our country.
It is time for people to wake up in understanding, fear is not the way to live and direct our lives. Once we stop allowing the government to control our emotions and thoughts through fear we will then gain control of what is happening.
It really is up to all of us and beginning to fully understand our own power and where we put our energy.
Even though this song was written for Africa 30 years ago. It applies today to ourselves and our country.
"There is a choice we are making we are saving our own lives. It is true we make a brighter day, just you and me" "Let's start giving" Lets start giving of ourselves!
