4 ms·

No actually it wouldn't. It's already a crime to encourage people to act illegally -- that's technically a conspiracy. Journalists that have ethical standards

by bb88 7y ago

No actually it wouldn't. It's already a crime to encourage people to act illegally -- that's technically a conspiracy. Journalists that have ethical standards wouldn't do this.

DiogenesKynikos 7y ago
> Journalists that have ethical standards wouldn't do this. Then all journalists who publish classified information - which are most investigative journalists of any note who cover government - have no ethical standards.
- bb88 7y ago
  There's a difference between merely publishing classified materials and conspiring to access a classified computer system. Gleen Greenwald was the former, Snowden was more the latter.
  - DiogenesKynikos 7y ago
    If this goes through with Assange, there's nothing preventing the government from also putting Glenn Greenwald behind bars, along with half of the investigative journalists in Washington, DC. Let me lay out the case to you. Glenn Greenwald conspired with a government employee to access classified information. He knew that Snowden was offering classified information. He hatched a conspiracy with Snowden to meet in Hong Kong, beyond the reach of the United States government. They intentionally obfuscated their communications. They set up a secret meeting point. They decided on a secret signal that would allow Greenwald to identify Snowden. This looks very much like a conspiracy in which Greenwald knows that Snowden is breaking the law, and in which Greenwald is helping Snowden work out a way to do so. Of course, prosecuting Greenwald for the Snowden leaks would be a disaster for democracy. Prosecuting Assange would also be disastrous. I have the feeling that a lot of Democrats have decided to throw in their lot with the intelligence agencies that want Snowden behind bars, because they can't forgive him for publishing Hillary and the DNC's emails. For them, this is political payback. If we start throwing journalists to the wolves because we don't like them politically, that will be a very dark day for democracy.
prophesi 7y ago
Just wanting to quickly point out that unlawful != unethical.
- pdonis 7y ago
  That's true, but someone who is doing something unlawful that they believe is nevertheless ethical is engaged in civil disobedience and should be prepared to face the civil consequences, including being convicted of a crime and going to jail.

by bb88 7y ago

No actually it wouldn't. It's already a crime to encourage people to act illegally -- that's technically a conspiracy. Journalists that have ethical standards wouldn't do this.

DiogenesKynikos 7y ago

> Journalists that have ethical standards wouldn't do this. Then all journalists who publish classified information - which are most investigative journalists of any note who cover government - have no ethical standards.

bb88 7y ago
There's a difference between merely publishing classified materials and conspiring to access a classified computer system. Gleen Greenwald was the former, Snowden was more the latter.
- DiogenesKynikos 7y ago
  If this goes through with Assange, there's nothing preventing the government from also putting Glenn Greenwald behind bars, along with half of the investigative journalists in Washington, DC. Let me lay out the case to you. Glenn Greenwald conspired with a government employee to access classified information. He knew that Snowden was offering classified information. He hatched a conspiracy with Snowden to meet in Hong Kong, beyond the reach of the United States government. They intentionally obfuscated their communications. They set up a secret meeting point. They decided on a secret signal that would allow Greenwald to identify Snowden. This looks very much like a conspiracy in which Greenwald knows that Snowden is breaking the law, and in which Greenwald is helping Snowden work out a way to do so. Of course, prosecuting Greenwald for the Snowden leaks would be a disaster for democracy. Prosecuting Assange would also be disastrous. I have the feeling that a lot of Democrats have decided to throw in their lot with the intelligence agencies that want Snowden behind bars, because they can't forgive him for publishing Hillary and the DNC's emails. For them, this is political payback. If we start throwing journalists to the wolves because we don't like them politically, that will be a very dark day for democracy.

prophesi 7y ago

Just wanting to quickly point out that unlawful != unethical.

pdonis 7y ago
That's true, but someone who is doing something unlawful that they believe is nevertheless ethical is engaged in civil disobedience and should be prepared to face the civil consequences, including being convicted of a crime and going to jail.