This publication of government secrets fad could get out of control. It’s seen as noble and cool to younger people, apparently. Those of us older may know a little better, that intelligence agencies serve a basic and useful purpose although it isn’t always savory to the average citizen. Many of us see the world safely and naively through various media window screens..Not everybody else in the world thinks well of honest and open government (such as it is), and many of our world competitors would like to humiliate the U.S. to lessen its political influence for financial gain. Knowledge is power and latent wealth, and so is raw information all mixed together without analysis. If foreign interests have that information, they could use it against us in unforeseen ways. Of course, the same could be said of domestic interests who might use it wrongly..But who are these non-elected amateurs to judge? So what happens if they convince certain legislators to let down our guards? As related by Strabo and repeated by Carl Sagan in PALE BLUE DOT, the people of Kamarina in the Fifth Century B.C. drained their swamps to end an epidemic. However, they ignored the fact that the swamps protected them from enemies. The Carthaginians invaded over the dry land, razed the city, and killed every inhabitant. Compare that with those who want to unilaterally weaken our intelligence gathering capabilities toward other governments or even do away with them entirely..Whistle-blowers at the city and state level – fine. But when somebody divulges U.S. government or technological secrets, even intending well, he is taking a chance with real lives. People in the military and business research know this. Life isn’t a video game in which the digital characters can be reset..More and more, the U.S. is becoming a laughingstock for people we helped decades ago. In the past, we helped saved their governments and cultures – but now it’s like, Dude, what have you done for us lately? Once you acquire things, you help people get things of their own – you don’t give all of your things to them or all the capability to make more of them. That’s the real world. It’s not selfish or Imperialistic – it’s realistic. Some of our citizens seem to think that patriotism is passé, that international interests are inevitable and eventually benign,(as in the old Coke commercial with “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”)..Having applauded the release of The Pentagon Papers years ago, and the Watergate hearings, and publication of the Nixon tapes, as well as various media muckraking exposes, I never thought I would think this way. But there are distinctions to be made, and realistic self-interest concerns. And I keep thinking of the Kamarinians who did the right thing but lost their culture and lives, anyway.
Expresses it exactly! Remember Spain stopping the plane of a president of a South American country for “inspection” because Mr. Snowden might have been on board? That kind of idiocy could only come from a US government spy agency.
emptc12 over 10 years ago
This publication of government secrets fad could get out of control. It’s seen as noble and cool to younger people, apparently. Those of us older may know a little better, that intelligence agencies serve a basic and useful purpose although it isn’t always savory to the average citizen. Many of us see the world safely and naively through various media window screens..Not everybody else in the world thinks well of honest and open government (such as it is), and many of our world competitors would like to humiliate the U.S. to lessen its political influence for financial gain. Knowledge is power and latent wealth, and so is raw information all mixed together without analysis. If foreign interests have that information, they could use it against us in unforeseen ways. Of course, the same could be said of domestic interests who might use it wrongly..But who are these non-elected amateurs to judge? So what happens if they convince certain legislators to let down our guards? As related by Strabo and repeated by Carl Sagan in PALE BLUE DOT, the people of Kamarina in the Fifth Century B.C. drained their swamps to end an epidemic. However, they ignored the fact that the swamps protected them from enemies. The Carthaginians invaded over the dry land, razed the city, and killed every inhabitant. Compare that with those who want to unilaterally weaken our intelligence gathering capabilities toward other governments or even do away with them entirely..Whistle-blowers at the city and state level – fine. But when somebody divulges U.S. government or technological secrets, even intending well, he is taking a chance with real lives. People in the military and business research know this. Life isn’t a video game in which the digital characters can be reset..More and more, the U.S. is becoming a laughingstock for people we helped decades ago. In the past, we helped saved their governments and cultures – but now it’s like, Dude, what have you done for us lately? Once you acquire things, you help people get things of their own – you don’t give all of your things to them or all the capability to make more of them. That’s the real world. It’s not selfish or Imperialistic – it’s realistic. Some of our citizens seem to think that patriotism is passé, that international interests are inevitable and eventually benign,(as in the old Coke commercial with “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”)..Having applauded the release of The Pentagon Papers years ago, and the Watergate hearings, and publication of the Nixon tapes, as well as various media muckraking exposes, I never thought I would think this way. But there are distinctions to be made, and realistic self-interest concerns. And I keep thinking of the Kamarinians who did the right thing but lost their culture and lives, anyway.
Spyderred over 10 years ago
Expresses it exactly! Remember Spain stopping the plane of a president of a South American country for “inspection” because Mr. Snowden might have been on board? That kind of idiocy could only come from a US government spy agency.
derlehrer over 10 years ago
I suppose it’s time to repeal the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
kevin87031 over 10 years ago
I contend that SHOCK DOCTRINE is the most important book I’ve read this century.