Worried About Government Eavesdropping?
by Adam Bonislawski
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Well, you should be. Even if you’re not concerned about your own secrets being pored over by faceless wonks somewhere underground in West Virginia, it’s kind of antithetical to the whole Constitution and everything… right? Bartenders eavesdrop for a living — but what if the tables were turned?
GARY
Where he presides: Beekman Tavern, Financial District
Favorite drink: Heineken
No. I think it’s wrong, but I’m not concerned about it personally. The government’s been so incompetent anyway — they can’t even get basic policy right, so what are they going to be able to do? That guy can’t even speak right.
PAULA
Where she presides: Another Room, TriBeCa
Favorite drink: Sangria
I don’t have anything to say. [Ed. Really? You suppose they’re listening to us right now?] Again, really don’t want to say anything.
KEVIN
Where he presides: Woolworth Tower Kitchen, Downtown
Favorite drink: Miller High Life
If this program is doing even any sort of good, then I pretty much have to support it. If it can stop — or has stopped — any kind of significant terrorist attack on the country, then I find it hard to argue with. Considering the stakes, I just think it’s something I have to reluctantly live with. Hey, I have nothing to hide. Maybe the people that do are the ones that are worried.
SCOTT
Where he presides: Lunasa, East Village
Favorite drink: Guinness
No. If they’re listening, they’re more than welcome to. But they should keep their nose out of other people’s business and worry more about their own business — like all those inside leaks they’ve been having.
ERIN
Where she presides: The Abbey, Williamsburg
Favorite drink: Michter’s Whiskey
Yeah — in a literal sense. My husband works for a liberal non-governmental organization, so we’ve got an actual reason to be worried about our phone being tapped. It’s the Open Society Institute — it’s funded by George Soros [our intrepid correspondent agrees that, yes, her phone is definitely tapped] Oh yeah, my phone is tapped if anyone’s is [laughs].
JOHN
Where he presides: Grassroots Tavern, East Village
Favorite drink: Beer
Not at all. Let them listen. Somebody’s got to. I might be a little right wing compared to the other people you’ll talk to around here. If you think about it, if they can wiretap an incoming phone call and stop terrorism and so forth, they should. I understand the freedoms and all and so forth, but people get too upset.
JEFF
Where he presides: Bobby Van’s, Midtown
Favorite drink: Jack and Coke
I’m all for wiretapping and eavesdropping. Yes, I can explain. Basically it’s been going on for 35 years anyway, only with warrants from the FISA court. One way or the other, it’s going to be a fact of life. Would I like to make sure they get these warrants? Yes, of course I would. However, I think the sense of privacy that people feel entitled to has grown somewhat out of proportion — especially given the world we live in. I think people may attach too much importance to it. A lot of D.A.’s will tell you they can’t maintain a proper conviction rate because privacy laws allow for so many technicalities. I think these have been abused. I’m not arguing for a police state, but I don’t mind government intelligence agencies using tactics like eavesdropping if they do it properly and it protects me.
GARY
Where he presides: Beekman Tavern, Financial District
Favorite drink: Heineken
No. I think it’s wrong, but I’m not concerned about it personally. The government’s been so incompetent anyway — they can’t even get basic policy right, so what are they going to be able to do? That guy can’t even speak right.
PAULA
Where she presides: Another Room, TriBeCa
Favorite drink: Sangria
I don’t have anything to say. [Ed. Really? You suppose they’re listening to us right now?] Again, really don’t want to say anything.
KEVIN
Where he presides: Woolworth Tower Kitchen, Downtown
Favorite drink: Miller High Life
If this program is doing even any sort of good, then I pretty much have to support it. If it can stop — or has stopped — any kind of significant terrorist attack on the country, then I find it hard to argue with. Considering the stakes, I just think it’s something I have to reluctantly live with. Hey, I have nothing to hide. Maybe the people that do are the ones that are worried.
SCOTT
Where he presides: Lunasa, East Village
Favorite drink: Guinness
No. If they’re listening, they’re more than welcome to. But they should keep their nose out of other people’s business and worry more about their own business — like all those inside leaks they’ve been having.
ERIN
Where she presides: The Abbey, Williamsburg
Favorite drink: Michter’s Whiskey
Yeah — in a literal sense. My husband works for a liberal non-governmental organization, so we’ve got an actual reason to be worried about our phone being tapped. It’s the Open Society Institute — it’s funded by George Soros [our intrepid correspondent agrees that, yes, her phone is definitely tapped] Oh yeah, my phone is tapped if anyone’s is [laughs].
JOHN
Where he presides: Grassroots Tavern, East Village
Favorite drink: Beer
Not at all. Let them listen. Somebody’s got to. I might be a little right wing compared to the other people you’ll talk to around here. If you think about it, if they can wiretap an incoming phone call and stop terrorism and so forth, they should. I understand the freedoms and all and so forth, but people get too upset.
JEFF
Where he presides: Bobby Van’s, Midtown
Favorite drink: Jack and Coke
I’m all for wiretapping and eavesdropping. Yes, I can explain. Basically it’s been going on for 35 years anyway, only with warrants from the FISA court. One way or the other, it’s going to be a fact of life. Would I like to make sure they get these warrants? Yes, of course I would. However, I think the sense of privacy that people feel entitled to has grown somewhat out of proportion — especially given the world we live in. I think people may attach too much importance to it. A lot of D.A.’s will tell you they can’t maintain a proper conviction rate because privacy laws allow for so many technicalities. I think these have been abused. I’m not arguing for a police state, but I don’t mind government intelligence agencies using tactics like eavesdropping if they do it properly and it protects me.
