4 ms·
(Not the same person) No, that's rather the point. "They should be catching real criminals" is the argument used to complain about the police arresting people
by IanCal 13y ago
(Not the same person)
No, that's rather the point. "They should be catching real criminals" is the argument used to complain about the police arresting people who have committed a crime because there are more serious crimes.
The argument here is that just because the US isn't the worst, doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything.
- BWStearns 13y agoI appreciate the fact that that was the argument being made. >> The argument here is that just because the US isn't the worst, doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything. I did not say that you should give the US a pass (I in fact explicitly stated the opposite). I did state that if you claim to oppose some common ill of humanity that you should probably focus on where it is most ill. If I decide to fight malaria, I should probably look at Africa as a good place to do my work. If I decide to fight corrupt, oppressive, and deceitful governments I should probably look at states with the most distasteful human rights records.
- polymatter 13y agoIf you decide to learn to swim, do you jump straight into shark infested waters? If you anger the US government they will (generally) initiate legal proceedings to see you in court. Even if you think the legal proceedings against you are a sham, you (generally) get your day in court which are (mostly) fair. If you anger China or NK they (generally) don't bother with even that much pretense and you may be tried, convicted and executed before anyone even realizes you're missing.
- avn2109 13y agoBecause of the structural arrangement and pay-to-play financial details of the American legal system, "mostly fair" is an extraordinarily generous characterization of how you will be treated.
- Legogris 13y agoSo with that mindset, why are you arguing against WikiLeaks on Hacker News? There are FAR worse example of breaking your set of rules where you should probably focus.
- cmdkeen 13y agoExcept cops are out catching real criminals as well, there are lots of cops. If the entire police department are out catching speeding drivers and dealing with no other crime then "they should be catching more serious criminals" is a valid point. How much capital (financial, political, human, technical) does Wikileaks spend focusing on each country around the world? How would that list correlate with the worst human rights abusers, the most opaque governments. This of course in a week when the Azerbaijan presidential elections have just seen the results accidentally released before voting even opened...
- IanCal 13y agoHow much do they actually focus on anywhere? Are you suggesting the receive but are ignoring significant reports from elsewhere?
- vacri 13y agoWikileaks is far from the only organisation watching or investigating 'bad guys'.
- mpyne 13y agoSo when information literally falls into their hands and they still refuse to publish because it happens to be embarrassing to Ecuador, what then? Do we finally get to point out that WikiLeaks is biased in their own investigations, and has been since their major redesign?
- wooter 13y agoWho put them in that position? The US. You can't blame them for wanting to stay alive. If I chase you into a bear den, I can't blame you for staying quiet.