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Orwell wasn't right about where society was in 1984. We haven't turned into that sort of surveillance society. But that may be, at least in small part, because of his book. The notion that ubiquitous surveillance and state manipulation of the media is evil is deeply engrained in us.

For many, the recent disclosure of massive warrantless surveillance programs of all citizens by the Obama administration has brought back memories of George Orwell's '1984.' Another Orwell book seems more apt as the White House and its allies try to contain the scandal: 'Animal Farm.'

The way I think liberties get eroded is not that all of a sudden you become an Orwellian state, but gradually it becomes harder for people with unpopular views to speak out without being in danger, be it from the state or just from the majority of the people who don't like them.

Taking privacy cues from the federal government is - to say the least - ironic, considering today's Orwellian level of surveillance. At virtually any given time outside of one's own home, an American citizen can reasonably assume his movements and actions are being monitored by something, by somebody, somewhere.

If surveillance infiltrates our homes and personal relationships, that is a gross breach of our human and civil rights.

The surveillance of ordinary people is far greater than I would have imagined and far greater than the American public has been able to debate.

Suspicionless surveillance does not become okay simply because it's only victimizing 95% of the world instead of 100%.

Surveillance changes history. We know this through examples of corrupt presidents like Nixon.

We do not take away the powers of surveillance. We do not take away the right and the power of the government to go after those who would do us wrong.

I long ago lost track of the number of times the Obama administration has assured everyone that its vacuum-cleaner approach to electronic surveillance does not threaten the privacy or the rights of Americans.