The ABC of Security

CIA and NSA Data Gathering Avalanche with William Binney

Said Mr. A to Mr. B,
"I doubt the loyalty of C."

—

Said Mr. B to Mr. A,
"I’m shocked and stunned by what you say;

We’d better check on him today,
And since you’ve brought up Mr. C.

I feel that I must mention D.
I rather doubt his loyalty."

—

Said Mr. F to Mr. G,
"G, have you ever noticed B?
What do you make of his loyalty?"

—

Said Mr. G to Mr. F,
"Lower your voice – people aren’t deaf!
I wouldn’t want you quoting me,
But sure, I’ve always noticed B."

—

Said Mr. C to Mr. A,
"I saw a funny thing today;
At least, it seemed quite odd to me.

I saw F whispering with G
And I just caught the name of B."

"No, really?" answered A to C
"Well, anyway – I don’t know B.
I guess it’s just as well for me."

—

And so the subtle poison spread
Until there rose a Mr. Zed.
The lightning played around his head.
"My fellow-countrymen," he said,
"The past, as you’ll observe, is dead.

—

The alphabet’s discredited;
You can’t trust teachers now to teach,
You can’t trust ministers to preach
,
And it has been my special labor
To prove that none can trust his neighbor.

—

In fact, it’s amply clear to see
There’s no one you can trust but me.
And by a happy turn of fate
I’ve come to purify the state.

—

My methods will be swift and strong
Against the crime of thinking wrong.
I know the cure for heresy
And you can leave it all to me.

—

Leave everything to me!" he said.
"Hurrah!" they cried. "Hurrah for Zed!”

— fin —

By E.B. White (May 9, 1953)