Snail Mail Read By Homeland Security

MSNBC is reporting:

If you receive a letter from overseas, it might be opened and read by Homeland Security. This happened to an 81 retired professor who received a letter from a friend in the Philippians. There was no mistaking his letter was read. It was resealed with a green tape with the words "by Border Protection" with the official seal of Homeland Security.

Reading mail coming from foreign sources is not a new concept. This same article points out that it was done routinely during World War II.

In high school, I had a history professor who was previously employed by the CIA, during the cold war period, she was known as a steamer. One who opened mail sent or coming from communist bloc countries (and perhaps other places). This practice was done clandestine and most would be unaware that it was ever done.

At one time, I was employed as a cross indexer, before computers could do that easily. Going through literally volumes of material you develop a sharp eye for just what you are looking for.
The rest is just filtered out of your mind. I am sure any reading by Homeland Security of personal content would be absolutely meaningless to them, and perhaps boring.

If this intrusion in your privacy seems offensive to you, remember the stakes could be high, there are people who have the intent to kill innocent Americans by any means possible.