D.O.D. Censors Book - What's Next?

In a day in age where technology allows you to "post" your every thought, feeling and whereabouts (Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare), everyday people are essentially waiving their right to privacy; there is a misconception that the majority of people WANT to know this information about you. The Federal Government is by no means immune to "everyday people" who just happen to work for the Department of Defense, United States Military or the White House, tweeting, posting and 'making known' information about THEIR everyday lives... in this case, their jobs. Such is the same as everyone thinks they've got a life, ideal or life experience that people want to read about - so they write a book.

Lt. Col. Shaffer's book, Operation Dark Heart, is about his going undercover for the Army in Afghanistan. Incidentally, the U.S. Army originally cleared the book for publication and release to the public.

What is in that book that has the Department of Defense up in arms?

From where I stand, the Department of Defense doesn't want us to understand the controversial pre-9/11 data mining project called "Able Danger." Lt. Col. Shaffer claims "Able Danger" successfully identified hijacker Mohammed Atta as a threat to the United States before the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks - (Atta was the alleged ringleader of the Sept. 11 hijackers and piloted American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center).

Now, the Department of Defense was in a position where it was time to shit or get off the pot. There was talk last month that the D.O.D. might not even try to buy the 10,000 or so pre-released books - because we are in a digital age - and well, maybe no one would really care or understand anyway. Kind of like - Make a big deal and really make people wonder what the government is hiding or try to play it cool. What happened was the latter; They allowed people to be distracted by the story and conspiracy surrounding the book - all the while going around the country and probably even the world literally purchasing approximately 9, 500 of the 10,000 copies delivered at first printing.

Reportedly, this cost taxpayers in excess of $47,000 in buy back fees.

The question that you need to ask yourself now is - Where are the other 500 copies? I've heard that people are selling them for big bucks but I can't find one.

What's the Department of Defense going to do when someone makes an eBook out of it and the whole world downloads this book. Is the Department of Defense going to start raiding homes and confiscating computers?

Beyond My Two Cents gives you an opportunity to look at the issues and situations that affect many of us from a different point of view. Do you agree, disagree or are you on the fence. Why? I will give my two cents and then, you give yours.

beyondmytwocents.com Beyond My Two Cents Website