dagblog - Comments for "If Ed Snowden is a Hero, we're a Nation Bereft "

Your strongest point, in my

Peter Schwartz — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:13:40 +0000

Your strongest point, in my opinion, is that it's somehow wrong for one person without the authority to take it upon himself to make secret information public based on discussions with himself that it's the right thing to do and in the country's best interest.

Think of the outcry around the news that "one man" with a "kill list," Obama, was deciding who to assassinate. Just one guy who, arguably, had the authority to do what he felt was right to protect the country.

"We need oversight and checks on this" was the proffered solution. But where is the oversight and checks on someone like Snowden or anyone who simply reveals what he, on his own, decides needs to be revealed.

People like that this information was revealed and, apparently, no one died as a result. But that's only a contingent circumstance and doesn't address the procedural problems.

Maybe, but denials can lead

Peter Schwartz — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:01:41 +0000

In reply to I agree with you on pretty

Maybe, but denials can lead to deeper inquiry and a can of worms.

How do we know the leakers aren't lying to us, which is sort of what you're saying.

There needs to be a clear, sanctioned, and protected route for would-be leakers to say "this is wrong and needs to be fixed."

"Other ways..." Yes, but it

Peter Schwartz — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:58:37 +0000

In reply to Yes, that's where my own

"Other ways..."

Yes, but it appears that leakers who tried other ways are now working retail at Apple stores and the like.

These "other ways" need beefing up and protection so that someone, in good faith, can object, call out, what have you, and not get fired or legally persecuted or otherwise sent out to pasture.

Not sure about Snowden, but when you read the stories of some of the other leakers who faced the music, they appear to have been devoted intelligence workers, people who believed in what they did and all the secrecy surrounding it.

First time I've seen him

artappraiser — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:12:20 +0000

In reply to If Ed Snowden is a Hero, we're a Nation Bereft

First time I've seen him comment on the oath thing (from LA Times, March 10, 2014):

"Would I do it again? Absolutely," Snowden said into the camera, in response to one of several questions submitted to him via Twitter (#AskSnowden) and screened backstage at the South by Southwest Interactive conference. "I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution. And I saw the Constitution was being violated on a massive scale."

He warned, "If we allow the NSA to continue unrestrained, every other government will accept that as a green light to do the same."

you typify the reason why

tom arnall — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 23:35:09 +0000

In reply to If Ed Snowden is a Hero, we're a Nation Bereft

you typify the reason why without wikileaks this country is lost.

concerning Snowden, have you given any thought to why the gov't gave him the clearance? i'll give you the bottom line and let you figure out the rest. (a) the gov't is forced to hire a modicum of intellectually creative people in order to get its work done. (b) creative intellectual work requires self-respect. (c) put only ass-licking dummies at the work, and the country's security will be in danger far greater than any Snowden has caused.

the govt is no longer legal and no longer has moral authority. let the u.s. ruling class fix that, and the Snowden's will go away.

Well, if you give 5 million

PeraclesPlease — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 15:20:08 +0000

In reply to Makes you wonder, doesn't it,

Well, if you give 5 million of your most trusted acquaintances a security clearance, yes, you might expect a few gaps. Why not give all school kids one, and if they act up, we can charge them with treason, the treacherous little beasties.

Makes you wonder, doesn't it,

Ramona — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 14:52:00 +0000

In reply to <i>At the end of the process,

Makes you wonder, doesn't it, why we have security clearances at all? What a waste of time and effort. If classified documents are fair game and can't or won't be prosecuted, why have anything classified?

Open those windows wide! Breathe that fresh air! Let it all hang out!

At the end of the process,

jollyroger — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 21:45:49 +0000

In reply to If Ed Snowden is a Hero, we're a Nation Bereft

<i>At the end of the process, every employee awarded a high security clearance signs an oath and is warned that a security breach is against the law. They will be prosecuted. </i>

Not, not per se.

"Congress has repeatedly resisted or failed to pass a law that generally outlaws disclosing classified information'"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classified_information_in_the_United_States

The conversation is about

rmrd0000 — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 01:50:57 +0000

In reply to Yo, ocean-kat, not much

The conversation is about privacy. The NSA does data mining.What should be the limits? The FBI just admitted to the use of drones. It seemed logical that that was also part of the discussion.

Yo, ocean-kat, not much

ocean-kat — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 23:38:23 +0000

In reply to If I point out that something

Yo, ocean-kat, not much interested in your comment about the NSA, please tell me your views on how helicopter monitoring differs from drones.

And could you explain your views on stop light cameras instead of talking about the massive data collection of all American's phone call data forever?

Yes yes, I know, the NSA, but ocean-kat please take some time to address stalking laws arising from actors and paparazzi. The deeply important problem of actors and paparazzi is what you should be writing about ocean-kat.

Not interested, not now. I think I'll stick to talking about the NSA. But if the stalking laws arising from actors and paparazzi is so interesting to you, instead of asking me to write about it, write a blog yourself.

Tthe paparazzi? Really? Now I'm done with explaining how I see through your attempt to divert this discussion away from the NSA into what ever and where ever you can. Its just another side issue I don't have time to waste on. So you can have the last word.