A Homegrown Mess-Part One

Picture this. You’re walking down the street. You’re in a crowed area in a popular city. You are minding your own business. Little do you know, someone is following you. They blend in with the rest of the crowd. You would never suspect they were following you. But they are not just following you, they are taking information and reporting it. Reporting information about YOU.

This information they are reporting-it’s about how you behave, how you look at people, and interact with them. Now how would you feel if I told you that you vaguely knew this unknown stalker? I imagine you wouldn’t feel too keenly about this.

According to the American Heritage High School Dictionary, stalk is defined as “To follow or observe (a person) persistently, esp. out of obsession or derangement.”

Criminal.Findlaw.com defines stalking as: “Stalking is the unwanted pursuit of another person, such as following a person, appearing at a person’s home or place of business, making harassing phone calls, leaving written messages or objects, or vandalizing a person’s property.

By its nature, stalking is not a one-time event, but rather a pattern of behavior meant to cause harm or distress. The individual’s actions must be considered in connection with other actions to determine if someone is being stalked. It includes repeated harassing or threatening behavior toward another person, whether that person is a total stranger, slight acquaintance, current or former intimate partner, or anyone else.”

With that key information in mind, what would you think if I told you that this was a real-life scenario and that the stalker was an undercover agent? Would you feel in distress? Harassed? Violated? I would. This agent who has been stalking you has had no right to do this. You showed no ill-will towards others, nor were you committing any crime.

So I ask you, reader, why would our own government, who is supposed to protect and uphold the rights of the people, do this to its law-abiding citizens?

Stay tuned for A Homegrown Mess-Part Two: Quiet Skies, next Wednesday.