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Suzanimal
04-23-2015, 05:51 AM
A February 2012 memorandum of understanding between the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) lays out a process pursuant to which the VA has been regularly sending to the FBI mental health information about VA patients. So reports Patrick Howley at the Daily Caller on Tuesday. The mental health information transferred is intended to aid the FBI in adding individuals to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) list of individuals restricted from owning or possessing guns.

The Daily Caller article quotes an astonishingly cavalier statement the VA provided in response to the article’s disclosure:
‘The Department of Veterans Affairs’ policy to inform veterans of their rights regarding the Brady Act has not changed,’ VA told TheDC in a statement. ‘As has been policy for multiple administrations, VA acts in accordance with federal law and works with the Department of Justice to properly maintain the NICS database. VA notifies any veteran who may be deemed by VA to be mentally incapable of managing his or her own funds of the opportunity to contest this determination and also to seek relief from the reporting requirements under the Brady Act, as required by law.’
The VA’s stated justification for its actions leads to many discomforting questions.

What of the long-respected American legal protection of doctor-patient confidentiality? Is it, and all other privacy protections, just a phantom of the past in this age of US government mass surveillance?

How can the VA claim that its actions are justified because it informs patients of the privacy-violating, rights-restricting policy it uses against patients? These veterans, many of whom are seeking help necessitated by their work in the military, often have the only other option of seeking outside help on their own dime — something the government told them they would not have to do. Patients may logically choose to waive confidentiality to some degree in some instances, but this seems far from a fair waiver situation. It looks more like duress.

...

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/peace-and-prosperity/2015/april/22/va-sending-veterans-mental-health-information-to-the-fbi-to-aid-gun-restrictions/

morfeeis
04-23-2015, 11:42 AM
i am often left with the only option of laughter when i think about how well the federal government can keep track of the records they want to but never the ones that we the people need.

Anti Federalist
04-23-2015, 11:58 AM
Is it, and all other privacy protections, just a phantom of the past in this age of US government mass surveillance?

This is a question?

Slave Mentality
04-23-2015, 02:42 PM
Uncle Sam: Don't worry about the stigma of therapy, get help, we love you, we got your 6 hero, just like the commercials, we are your brothers, thank you for protecting our freedoms and all that flag-wavy stuff.....

Reality: We are gathering data about your deepest thoughts and will use it against you when it suits our needs. Sorry for having you do the unconscionable and fucking your mind! Thank you for your service!

Lesson: Never volunteer to go kill "bad people" because you don't want to end up working at the Piggly Wiggly with your high school bros.

Mind numbing.

The Northbreather
04-23-2015, 03:16 PM
Uncle Sam: Don't worry about the stigma of therapy, get help, we love you, we got your 6 hero, just like the commercials, we are your brothers, thank you for protecting our freedoms and all that flag-wavy stuff.....

Reality: We are gathering data about your deepest thoughts and will use it against you when it suits our needs. Sorry for having you do the unconscionable and fucking your mind! Thank you for your service!

Lesson: Never volunteer to go kill "bad people" because you don't want to end up working at the Piggly Wiggly with your high school bros.

Mind numbing.
Yea.

UNCLE SAM:
Broke but want to go to college so you can fit in with us good people?
Have we got a deal for you.
Just sign here and we'll take care of you from here on out.
We swear!
Free medical care too!