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This is the Just-World Fallacy, as you presume there is some sort of reliable map between things being a crime and things being morally wrong. This is clearly n

by pdkl95 12y ago

This is the Just-World Fallacy, as you presume there is some sort of reliable map between things being a crime and things being morally wrong. This is clearly not true, as laws change all the time. Furthermore, there is the concept of extenuating circumstances. Killing people is usually a crime, but we generally accept self defense as a legitimate justification that requires no punishment. Regarding Snowden, in a country where oaths are taken to defend the Constitution - and not the country itself - informing the people that important parts of the Constitution are under attack or being ignored is an incredibly strong and obvious example of extenuating circumstances. Anybody that has a problem with that really needs to focus their attention on the people that made such an extreme defense of the Constitution necessary. Yes, we need to update a lot of laws. Hopefully, we can accomplish those changes soon, before someone else is forced to make the choice between following the law and protecting the Constitution like Snowden.

Aloha 12y ago
I'm of a mixed mind about it. I believe some of what was released, was potentially very harmful (more so in the case of Ms. Manning) to our interests abroad, and was collected via legal means (aka, not domestic spying), but I also believe that the whistle blowing aspect largely ameliorates whatever damage was done. Thats why I think there should be some criminal prosecution, is warranted, but not for what is being currently pressed or called for. I try not to pass judgement on weather spying on our allies is morally wrong, I can't say what I'd do if I were president, however I'd always assumed that everyone spies pretty evenly on everyone else, same with the telephone meta data tracking, while I was appalled at the depth and retention time of program, I wasn't really surprised it was going on, as the government has long had easy access to call detail records, this is only an extension of that. That said, I don't think its right to spy on American Citizens, at home or abroad, spying on there, meh, YMMV, I don't think the government should be doing things in private it wouldn't want to come out later.

by pdkl95 12y ago

Aloha 12y ago

I'm of a mixed mind about it. I believe some of what was released, was potentially very harmful (more so in the case of Ms. Manning) to our interests abroad, and was collected via legal means (aka, not domestic spying), but I also believe that the whistle blowing aspect largely ameliorates whatever damage was done. Thats why I think there should be some criminal prosecution, is warranted, but not for what is being currently pressed or called for. I try not to pass judgement on weather spying on our allies is morally wrong, I can't say what I'd do if I were president, however I'd always assumed that everyone spies pretty evenly on everyone else, same with the telephone meta data tracking, while I was appalled at the depth and retention time of program, I wasn't really surprised it was going on, as the government has long had easy access to call detail records, this is only an extension of that. That said, I don't think its right to spy on American Citizens, at home or abroad, spying on there, meh, YMMV, I don't think the government should be doing things in private it wouldn't want to come out later.