Orwellian State? Dont worry Big Sis says the DHS is not going willy-nilly and using any kind of data that we can gatherDaisy Luther I think people have gotten the idea that theres an Orwellian state out there that somehow were operating in. Thats far from the case There are lots of protections built into the system No one should believe that we are simply going willy-nilly and using any kind of data that we can gatherI think we need to do a better job of explaining to the American people exactly what is kept, what are the real restrictions on howIm just talking now for DHS, Department of Homeland Securityhow we use it, how long we can keep it, how we share it, all those thing. (source) What is the Orwellian state? This is a reference to George Orwells unfortunately prophetic novel, 1984. Heres a look at the world according to Orwell: TheOceanianprovince ofAirstrip Oneis a world ofperpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, and publicmind control, dictated by a political systemthat persecutes all individualism and independent thinking asthought crimes.Their tyranny is headed byBig Brother andthe Part, who justify their rule in the name of a supposed greater good. A major theme ofNineteen Eighty-Fouris censorship, especially in the Ministry of Truth, where photographs are doctored and public archives rewritten to rid them of unpersons (i.e. persons who have been arrested, whom the Party has decided to erase from history). On the telescreens figures for all types of production are grossly exaggerated (or simply invented) to indicate an ever-growing economy, when the reality is the opposite. This surveillance allows for effective control of the citizenry. The smallest sign of rebellion, even something so small as a facial expression, can result in immediate arrest and imprisonment. Thus, citizens (and particularly party members) are compelled to absolute obedience at all times. (source) Does that sound familiar? Perhaps some of the concerns about an Orwellian state could be explained by the following: I could go on, but it seems perfectly clear that we have long ago surpassed the Orwellian state being a product of fiction. Dont be assuaged by Napolitanos assurances that we are overreacting. If anything we have under-reacted and thats why things have gotten this far. Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor. Her website,The Organic Prepper, wherethis article first appeared, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy onFacebookandTwitter, and you can email her atdaisy@theorganicprepper.ca 