4 ms·
"There are plenty of people outraged by the substance of what has been leaked who also don't like the idea of ... a 30 year old person stuck in a Russian airpor
by gnosis 13y ago
"There are plenty of people outraged by the substance of what has been leaked who also don't like the idea of ... a 30 year old person stuck in a Russian airport who has appointed himself the ultimate arbiter of what is leakworthy and what is not, what programs are legal and good and which are illegal and evil."
Of course such determinations should be left to the professionals, our Supreme Leader, the oh-so-popular Congress and the stalwart defenders of liberty and justice: the Courts -- which are all so trustworthy, moral, and competent.. and who would never hide anything under the pretense of "national security" to cover their own asses, to grab more wealth and power, or keep the public from knowing of atrocities and crimes they, their buddies or their lackeys have commited.
- jnbiche 13y agoI only wish HN were set up differently so I could somehow transfer all my points to you for that comment.
- gyardley 13y agoIt's perfectly possible to dislike the government and vigilantes simultaneously.
- JamesArgo 13y agoNot insofar as a vigilante is defined as a non-governmental actor working to change the government. If you don't trust the process and that set of possible people who act outside it, you don't trust anyone or thing at all. You can hold this position in any particular case, but not as a general rule, at least if you want to be able to act coherently in these types of situations.
- brown9-2 13y agoAt the very least, deciders chosen by a government elected by the people, whatever value that has, is of more value than a single self-chosen person who happened to have the correct level of access and skills to access more documents than he was supposed to.
- gnosis 13y agoOstensibly elected (or selected, if the election was decided through fraud) in a system where more than 40% of eligible voters are too disgusted, cynical, or apathetic to vote. In a system where elections are so influenced by money that billions are spent on advertising candidates. Where virtually all the discussion of the candidates is about their personalities and presentation (such as whether a candidate wore a flag lapel, or how he golfed) rather than about their policies and stances on concrete, important issues. In a system where the majority of those who do vote are embarrasingly ignorant of politics, history, and the candidates and parties for whom they're voting (largely thanks to the horrendous media coverage mentioned above, and the atrocious education system in the United States). In a system where the elected candidates can do the opposite of what he campaigned on virtually without consequence or most of their constituents noticing (thanks to the media, yet again). In a system where gerrymandering has effectively guaranteed the seats of most members of Congress, no matter how poorly they perform. (Given the record low approval ratings of Congress, virtually all of them should been thrown out ages ago, but that's not going to happen any time soon.) In a system where there are only two parties who agree on most issues, and collude to keep third parties and serious alternative from ever being viable. In a system where the people appointed by the elected/selected politicians get to make decisions outside the (incredibly flawed) legal process, in secret, and with virtually no oversight or accountability to the public. In a system that tortures prisoners, violates human rights, starts unprovoked wars that kill millions of people. I'm sorry, but I just don't place much trust in such a system. And I applaud whistleblowers who risk their lives to expose wrongdoings.
- jivatmanx 13y ago