Don't understand worries about CIA listening in on phone calls

To the Editor:

I don't know why so many people are worried about the CIA listening in on the Arabs, calling overseas.

What a lot of people don't realize is that any time you talk on the phone, wireless or wired, it is just as public as talking in person. In 1942 I know of a "whiz kid" in Havre who made a device that all he had to do is drive down the street, aim it at a house and if anyone was using the phone, he could listen to both sides of the conversation. I'm sure that the CIA has thousands of such things and are putting them to good use.

If you want to cuss out uncle Ned because he is mean to your mother, no one would be interested. On the other hand if you told someone, uncle Ned is leaving you a million dollars in his will and you would sure be glad if he had a fatal accident, you never know someone might contact you that could cause such an accident.

If I lived in a big city with lots of things the terrorists would like to destroy I would sure be glad to know that someone is looking out for me.

John Erhard