'Restore The 4th' Anti-NSA Activists 'Adopt' The Highway Right Outside NSA's New Utah Datacenter

from the nicely-done dept

We've written about the "Restore the 4th" activist effort to curtail NSA surveillance and "restore" the 4th Amendment a few times. Apparently, the local Restore the 4th group in Utah came up with a hilarious way to get their point across in that state: they "adopted" the highway that runs right by the NSA's infamous new datacenter in Bluffdale Utah.
An organization opposed to surveillance by the National Security Agency has been approved to "adopt" the section of highway running past the Utah Data Center, a move that would place the group’s protest-oriented name on signs outside the spy building.

Restore The Fourth-Utah would also be responsible for picking up litter on the 2-mile stretch of Redwood Road that includes the main entrance to the Utah Data Center and Camp Williams.
Of course, the group sees the task of "picking up litter" as a good opportunity to combine picking up litter with protesting the data center, saying that as they pick up litter, they'll also carry picket signs. The Utah Department of Transportation had a spokesperson give a "please keep us out of this" statement to the press:
"As long as [Restore The Fourth-Utah is] following safety protocol," Gleason said, "we’re happy there are people applying to keep litter off the roads out there."
As for the NSA? Well, that organization gave an even wackier response:
When asked for comment, NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines replied in an email: "Highway adoptions are not a part of NSA’s federal mission."
Nor is spying on Americans, but you know, you do that too...
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Filed Under: 4th amendment, adopt a highway, bluffdale, nsa, protest, restore the 4th, utah


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  1. icon
    Chris Mikaitis (profile), 10 Oct 2013 @ 8:59pm

    Opportunity is knocking

    They should set up their own license plate scanners. It's only fair.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Pixelation, 10 Oct 2013 @ 10:40pm

    Win-win

    The NSA will have an easier time keeping tabs on this obvious terror group.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. icon
    toyotabedzrock (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 12:16am

    That is just priceless.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. icon
    That One Guy (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 1:13am

    And much laughter would be had by all

    That could be funny, set up either people in shifts, or something to automatically take pictures of everyone who enters or leaves the facility, and then watch the NSA start complaining about how such 'intrusive actions' violate their privacy.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. icon
    Paul keating (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:10am

    NSA LITTER

    Who knows what type of "litter" they might come across. One must not assume that NSA employees are any more careful with physical files as they have apparently been with the electronic variety...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:42am

    We all know what the NSA's mission is.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:45am

    "Highway adoptions are not a part of NSA’s federal mission."

    Then leave the information superhighways alone.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. icon
    silverscarcat (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 4:31am

    Re: Win-win

    Indeed, after all, anyone who goes to the data center is a traitor to the U.S.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. icon
    Ninja (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 6:02am

    Re: NSA LITTER

    Who knows what type of "litter" they might come across.

    I suspect they'll find quite the variety such as but not limited to:

    - James Clapper type
    - Alexander Keith type
    - Mike Rogers type
    - Dianne Feinstein type

    You know, this type of annoying, damaging litter. They have a lot of cleanup to do ;)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. icon
    Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 11 Oct 2013 @ 6:29am

    Re: NSA LITTER

    I consider that entire data center a piece of trash that needs to get thrown away. Perhaps they can pick it up and send it to the landfill.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 9:34am

    Now...

    They just need to find a billboard they can buy on that same stretch of highway and crowdsource a effort to buy it.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 9:36am

    Re: Re: NSA LITTER

    Nah, just re-purposed for actual benefit to the public that paid for it in the first place.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Sullivan, 11 Oct 2013 @ 10:33am

    Great way to multitask. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 11 Oct 2013 @ 2:07pm

    Re: Opportunity is knocking

    Cameras too.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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