Javier Sepulveda

Professor Reeb

English 102 Section 33

10 November 2014

Research Documents

I. Bill of Rights

1. Thesis: Should the United States end mass surveillance?

2. "The Bill of Rights: A Transcription." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.

3. Quotes: Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

4. Denotation: Amendment IV provides the people with security. The line like between the people and government. The government unable violate ones privacy.

Connotation: Amendment IV gives the people the privilege of privacy. Should the United States end mass surveillance? Amendment IV can back up my thesis statement by providing documentation of the rules the government should follow.

II. 1984

1. Thesis: Should the United States end mass surveillance?

2. Orwell, George, and Erich Fromm. 1984. New York: Signet Classics, 1950. Print.

3. Quotes: With the development of television, and the technical advance which made it possible to receive and transmit simultaneously on the same instrument, private life came to an end(205).

4. Denotation: Technology advances so quickly that and entered peoples lives that privacy was no longer available. 

Connotation: Currently in the United States is in a similar position. Technology plays a major role in the majority of the American life style due to cell phones. Cell phones are common in America, unfortunately the government invades people privacy and monitors the people as in 1984.

III. The NSA Deserves a Permanent Shutdown

1. Thesis: Should the United States end mass surveillance?

2. Solomon, Norman. "The NSA Deserves a Permanent Shutdown." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.

3. -To the people in control of the executive branch, violating our civil liberties is an essential government service. So -- to ensure total fulfillment of Big Brother's vast responsibilities -- the National Security Agency is insulated from any fiscal disruption.

- The NSA's vacuum-cleaner collection of metadata is highly intrusive, providing government snoops with vast information about people's lives. That's bad enough. But the NSA, using the latest digital technology, is able to squirrel away the content of telephone, e-mail and text communications -- in effect, "TiVo-ing" it all, available for later retrieval.

- Don't Open the Utah Data Center: The new NSA data center in Bluffdale, Utah will -- if it opens -- serve only one purpose: to violate the Fourth Amendment. As a constituent, I urge you: Do not open the NSA Utah Data Center's doors.

4. Denotation: The NSA violated the people’s rights. The NSA is responsible for monitoring the people actions.

Connotation: The NSA is similar to Big Brother in 1984. One quote that grabbed my attention is  “to ensure total fulfillment of Big Brother's vast responsibilities”. This is frightening because George Orwell had prediction in his novel 1984. His prediction of what the future might hold.

IV. The Declaration of Independence

1. Thesis: Should the United States end mass surveillance?

2. "The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.

3. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

4. Denotation: If a large amount of people feel like the government has gotten out of hand we have the rights to get rid of the government and try to create a new one.

Connotations: Many Americans have options on how our current government is going down hill. We has the people of America have the rights and opportunity to change our government.