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> unquestionably legitimate Absolutely questionable. There's a concept called "human rights" and just because the US has failed to force unaccountable governme

> unquestionably legitimate Absolutely questionable. There's a concept called "human rights" and just because the US has failed to force unaccountable government agencies into acting in a humane and moral manner doesn't mean that what they're doing is justified. Invasions of privacy on foreign people on such a granular level is abhorrent and that fact hat it's not illegal doesn't mean Snowden did anything wrong by disclosing it.

marcoperaza 10y ago
Privacy rights for foreigners do not exist under US law. The US cannot allow people with security clearances to just ignore the law, determine what is right and wrong, and take matters into their own hands. How our government treats people in other countries is a matter for the President and Congress, the elected representatives of the American people.
- whamlastxmas 10y ago
  Basic rights for a lot of people, even our own citizens, do not exist under US law. Even our own prisoners are denied pretty basic rights (solitary confinement for literally years at a time, sometimes over a decade). Felons who have served their time are denied basic rights (voting) in some states. People have spent over a decade in prison without any sort of due process (from contempt of court, being ordered to do something they couldn't). The lack of a law forbidding something is not justification for it being acceptable behavior. >The US cannot allow people... take matters into their own hands That we have a (flawed) systemic and protected whistleblower system says that the government itself disagrees with you. And save your breath if you're going to try to argue Snowden should have used that system - it wasn't available to him despite people trying to argue otherwise.
  - marcoperaza 10y ago
    You're totally misunderstanding the whistleblowing system. It exists to uncover activity that is illegal under US law, not for people to make moral statements about what the law should be. What the law should be is a matter for our elected representatives. I'm not sure what your point about contempt of court is. Yes, of course you can be held indefinitely until you comply with a court order. Otherwise, a court order wouldn't mean anything.

marcoperaza 10y ago

Privacy rights for foreigners do not exist under US law. The US cannot allow people with security clearances to just ignore the law, determine what is right and wrong, and take matters into their own hands. How our government treats people in other countries is a matter for the President and Congress, the elected representatives of the American people.

whamlastxmas 10y ago
Basic rights for a lot of people, even our own citizens, do not exist under US law. Even our own prisoners are denied pretty basic rights (solitary confinement for literally years at a time, sometimes over a decade). Felons who have served their time are denied basic rights (voting) in some states. People have spent over a decade in prison without any sort of due process (from contempt of court, being ordered to do something they couldn't). The lack of a law forbidding something is not justification for it being acceptable behavior. >The US cannot allow people... take matters into their own hands That we have a (flawed) systemic and protected whistleblower system says that the government itself disagrees with you. And save your breath if you're going to try to argue Snowden should have used that system - it wasn't available to him despite people trying to argue otherwise.
- marcoperaza 10y ago
  You're totally misunderstanding the whistleblowing system. It exists to uncover activity that is illegal under US law, not for people to make moral statements about what the law should be. What the law should be is a matter for our elected representatives. I'm not sure what your point about contempt of court is. Yes, of course you can be held indefinitely until you comply with a court order. Otherwise, a court order wouldn't mean anything.