From Raw Story:

It was revealed last week that firefighters are being trained to not only keep an eye out for illegal materials in the course of their duties, but even to report back any expression of discontent with the government.

“Any expression of discontent? Seriously? How much longer until our doctors, dentists and EMT’s get the go ahead to do the same? You better shred any reading matter in your house that might be construed as anti-government. You don’t want those spying firefighters poking around your stuff.

Is this the United States or did I just wake up in the wrong country? For a minute there I was thinking maybe I was in a gestapo run Germany and envisioned firefighters wearing black swastika laden SS uniforms.

New York city is currently the experimental city and if the program is a success it may roll out in other metropolitan areas.

Ketih Olbermann asked Mike German, a former FBI agent who is now with the ACLU said, “This program seems to be turning [firefighters], essentially, into legally protected domestic spies, does it not?”

“That’s the entire intent,” German replied, noting the serious legal issues involved. “There is actually still a fourth amendment,” he pointed out, “and what makes a firefighter’s search reasonable is that it’s done to prevent a fire. If now firefighters are going in with this secondary purpose, that end run around the fourth amendment won’t work, and it’s likely that they will find themselves in legal trouble.”

Lets’ hope that there is enough backlash from citizens in New York City and around the country to this program so that it is NOT deemed a success. I am safe for now in my little town of 300. That is until my mailman starts reporting suspicious looking mail.

Loren, Liberal Mom Contributor

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