May 19, 2006

StreetTalk by Carol Rosen

How do you feel about the telephone companies providing the NSA with customer phone records?
(Asked at the mall at San Felipe and Yerba Buena Roads)


“I don’t like it. I like privacy.”

Betty Aldman
Evergreen
Semi-retired


“I do feel it’s a violation of my privacy. I think everyone is sensitive to the need to monitor terrorist or criminal activities, but the sheer volume of calls [the government has] monitored, it’s beyond the realm of possibility that they could all be terrorist suspects.”

Jon-Paul Pepper, 29
Costa Mesa
Medical student


“I think just because we can doesn’t mean we should. We have so much technology that allows us to do so many things, but this doesn’t mean we have to use that technology for this purpose.”

Gerry Naishi
Evergreen
Purchasing manager


“I kind of don’t see it being a big problem. I see why the government is taking these steps.”

Marissa Young, 18
Evergreen
Senior at Evergreen Valley High School


“Of course it’s an invasion of privacy. There’s no harm to investigating because they have a record or a reason to be investigated, but it will never be fair.”

Mark Smith, 37
Evergreen
Electronic sales


“I’m all for it. I don’t know why anyone is worried about what calls they made. I got fingerprinted in high school and the FBI has had my prints all these years and they’ve never come after me. It shouldn’t cause anyone to worry, unless they have something to worry about.”

Larry Haynes, 78
Evergreen
Retired from AT&T


“I think it’s a violation of my rights, but I don’t care because I’m not into terrorism.”

Allan Lorenzo, 31
Evergreen
Mortgage broker


“I feel we should be doing something to protect ourselves from terrorist acts. I think one way to do this is to use technology to track them down.”

Gary Hill, 71
Evergreen
Retired