James M. Wall

About the author: James M. Wall is senior contributing editor of the Christian Century.

The Total Information Awareness (TIA) system is a Department of Defense project that aims to collect and integrate information that is stored in countless government databases throughout the country. Ultimately TIA could result in the government having the ability to obtain detailed personal information on every American. Through sophisticated data mining techniques, the government would be able to track credit card purchases, travel records, telephone calls, e-mail messages, and other information in order to compile a profile on an individual that indicates whether he or she might be involved in terrorism. This would constitute a gross violation of civil liberties and an abuse of governmental power.

How does one express appropriate outrage over...