Ever heard of InfraGard?

[screembloodymurder]

Is this program for real?
http://www.progressive.org/mag_rothschild0308

Man, this freaks me out.
http://www.infragard.net/

[ursi]

1. yes. why does it freak you out?

I will only correct the article to add that members also include local and state government who are IT professionals and/or law enforcement.

I've never heard the part about "shoot to kill" though.

[my2sense]

2. k & r n/t

[Mojorabbit]

3. Scary as shit.

I hope we can turn this country around.

[ursi]

4. It's only a bunch of IT geeks.

[madeline_con]

7. I think you misunderestimate this.

It gives wannabe terrorism fighters a special "club card" and a secret decoder ring. these guys could be dangerous, and start shooting for no good reason if they feel their facility is being breached.

[ursi]

8. Well, I do know some Infragard members and they are IT geeks. They don't carry guns.

I'll have to ask them about this. I work with them. It's supposed to be about "infrastructure protection" and in their case, protecting the telecommunications infrastructure from "terrorism". I guess that could include hackers.

Seriously, I am going to have to email them this article. They are going to laugh.

[madeline_con]

11. "infrastructure protection" includes

killing suspected tamperers of natural gas pipelines and nuclear facilities, to name two examples. Basically, responding faster than the cops can arrive.

Laugh if you like, but these guys are serious.

[madeline_con]

25. Not tro beat a dead horse, but...

why the "shoot to kill" if all they're doing is computer-based security?

The article suggests much more.

[defendandprotect]

19. We've corporatized the universities --- much depends now on government contracts ...

many military contracts ---

Anyone who doesn't see the danger in this is a danger to us all !!!

[Mojorabbit]

9. That is not what it says

on their about page.
" At its most basic level, InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI and the private sector. InfraGard is an association of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other participants dedicated to sharing information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the United States."

[madeline_con]

5. IMO, like many other "government programs", this thing

is another attempt by DUH-bya's administration to have someone else find their ass with both hands, since they don't seem to be able to.

On the other hand, two kids dicking around by the fence at a power plant could be shot dead, and the shooters get full immunity.

[mike_c]

6. that is very trippy....

Interesting. The article seems hokey just because it is so alarmed, but the website is real. Holy moley-- that is one creepy website.

[oviedodem]

10. I am actually contemplating becoming a member. I had to host an

event they had at the building I work in at UCF. They are really a collection of IT guys (like myself) that talk about a wide variety of subjects one being IT security. There are IT folks from banking, to Non-Profit, to general home users.

They do work with the FBI and you need to be cleared to be a member. But the are really just a bunch of us Nerds.

[madeline_con]

12. So, only software, no "hardware"?

The actual infrastructure itself, such as pipelines and power plants, is not being protected with this system?

[ursi]

13. I don't know if I can explain it but ...say an IT professional notices a failure in internet access

and after double-checking everything at the user end, they make a call to someone to report the outage. It's sort of like that. No guns involved. I don't know how this reporter got so carried away.

I went to a workshop for it and the strangest thing was an FBI update on terrorism and it was supposed to be private yet all of us had heard the stuff in the news already.

[madeline_con]

16. I understand your explanation, but I doubt if...

the powers that be will leave the actual protection that is not computer-related to the local cops, wherever said infrastructure item may be located.

These places need real security guards, not an old rent a cop.

[oviedodem]

14. It is not a system. They typically sit around and talk "tech"

Sometimes they bring in a guest speaker. The one I was at had a security expert come in and talk and show us how dirt easy it is to hack into a wireless network and ways to protect them from attacks.

It has nothing to do with infrastructure other than IT infrastructure.

[ursi]

17. I agree ...although it does cover discussion about cybercrime

which, in our region, seem to be focused on identity theft, securing employer networks from hacks and leaks of employee or customer information, and perverts going after kid porn on the internet, etc.

[nashville_brook]

24. apply and let us know that goes.

[The Doctor.]

15. Nothing to get over-excited about yet... they don't have a "License to Kill".

But this is a serious step in the wrong direction.

[defendandprotect]

18. Why would something so fascist scare anyone --- !!!! ??? !!!

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. "partnered with the FBI"

.
.
.
That's all I need to know.

[ursi]

21. Well, I guess I can't wait until the next meeting I go to as I'm sure this article will be discussed

LOL!

[screembloodymurder]

22. No laughing matter.

Check out the membership application. All types of industries are involved. My feeling is that any alliance between business and law enforcement has the potential to be abused and should be subject to strict rules governed and monitored by the people.

[nashville_brook]

23. this is a suverveilance-industrial complex protected by "trade secrets" expemtion -->

nothing could be more insidiously toxic to democracy. i'm shocked and dismayed at the reaction of many posters here. do you think that just b/c martial law hasn't been declared that this isn't a serious threat to democracy. do you think that your candidate is going to make this all go away on January 20, 2009? i wish i had some of what you guys are smoking.

[screembloodymurder]

27. I'm also surprised at the reaction of some posters.

I know people in law enforcement that go to these things. They delight in being part of this private club of "informed" insiders. They're fucking jackbooted thugs and terror is the only justification they need to deny you and I our rights.

[tom_paine]

28. Yep. This a dangerous extension of government autority. It's happening all over.

Deputizing the brownshirts. Creating a specialized class of "privileged citizens" with permission from authority to abuse their power and power to prevent people from complaining abouttheir abuse of authority. Creating alternate lanes for the Imperials to directly rule the territories they govern, and creating a privileged branch of deputies.

How much you want to bet membership is 85-90% Bushie, not American?

[New Dawn]

26. Our grandparents fought fascism in WW2

But now it is triumphing here in the 21st century.

[Echo In Light]

29. K&R

[wildbilln864]

30. here an Alternet link about it...

linky :hi: