Comment by PavlovsCat

> People keep comparisons to the Stasi, too often they forget what the Stasi's purpose was: to suppress political opposition

That's however not how the Stasi thought of itself though, or how it was presented in propaganda.

http://andberlin.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/propaganda-in-t...

"For our security"

US intelligence agencies do keep tabs on stuff like Occupy, and of course it's officially "to prevent terrorism".. I for one don't buy it.