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Post by m52nickerson on Dec 10, 2010 10:14:22 GMT -5
Is Freedom of the Press absolute, or does it have its limits like freedom of speech?
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Post by the sandman on Dec 10, 2010 11:21:39 GMT -5
I don't think this is besides the issue because so far no one has yet to explain how to handle a government that abuses it's ability to classify information, including actions that harm that it's own citizenry. This is not theoretical, you know and lies at the heart of why Wiki leaks exists. Absolutist positions dont' seem at all a good way to go. I never said it was WRONG to steal state secrets....merely unlawful.
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Post by wolfgangravenna on Dec 10, 2010 11:46:16 GMT -5
Is Freedom of the Press absolute, or does it have its limits like freedom of speech? Honestly, that's a very grey area. It's greyer than rancid meat. I would argue in a devil's advocate kind of way that our population may be educated enough to handle this. Then again, i could be delusional.
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Post by Sigmaleph on Dec 11, 2010 0:48:31 GMT -5
Is Freedom of the Press absolute, or does it have its limits like freedom of speech? Legally or ethically?
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Post by ltfred on Dec 11, 2010 1:20:47 GMT -5
Is Freedom of the Press absolute, or does it have its limits like freedom of speech? Is the government's right to declare something secret absolute, or does it have limits, like it's legitimacy in using force?
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Post by m52nickerson on Dec 11, 2010 12:18:50 GMT -5
Is Freedom of the Press absolute, or does it have its limits like freedom of speech? Legally or ethically? Both?
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Post by m52nickerson on Dec 11, 2010 12:19:48 GMT -5
Is the government's right to declare something secret absolute, or does it have limits, like it's legitimacy in using force? I would say limited. The question is what are those limits?
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Post by Sigmaleph on Dec 11, 2010 12:47:23 GMT -5
Ethically, yes. Legally, I don't know enough to be sure, but I'd bet there are as well.
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Post by ltfred on Dec 11, 2010 18:35:14 GMT -5
Is the government's right to declare something secret absolute, or does it have limits, like it's legitimacy in using force? I would say limited. The question is what are those limits? Would you say that hiding evidence of a crime, as wikileaks showed that the current government did, would be an illegitimate form of secrecy?
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Post by Kit Walker on Dec 11, 2010 18:49:59 GMT -5
I would say limited. The question is what are those limits? Would you say that hiding evidence of a crime, as wikileaks showed that the current government did, would be an illegitimate form of secrecy? Pardon me, truly, for the ignorance, but what crime are you referring to? In all the talk about the thousands of cables released, I've heard it more focused on the embarrassing assessments and sensitive information than any evidence of crimes.
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Post by m52nickerson on Dec 11, 2010 20:30:00 GMT -5
Would you say that hiding evidence of a crime, as wikileaks showed that the current government did, would be an illegitimate form of secrecy? I agree with you, for the most part. Obviously espionage is illegal, but by its very nature needs to be secret.
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Post by Sigmaleph on Dec 11, 2010 20:40:57 GMT -5
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Post by Kit Walker on Dec 11, 2010 20:44:33 GMT -5
Wasn't Climategate later shown to have not been anything unethical? Because that is one of the things listed as WikiLeaks doing good, and unless I'm wrong, would throw the validity of the rest of the items into question. That said, it does seem as though wikileaks has done some important work. However, I still question the wisdom of the release of thousands of classified documents with little to no care as what is in them and how it will effect (help along? torpedo?) ongoing diplomatic relations of a sensitive nature (dealing with nutbars trying to get nukes is the definition of sensitive).
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Post by m52nickerson on Dec 11, 2010 20:55:47 GMT -5
Not to mention that some of the other things revealed where know. The rest you would have to show how the world knowing that information improved anything.
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Post by MaybeNever on Dec 11, 2010 21:48:03 GMT -5
Obviously some discretion is the best course when it comes to sensitive information. But as a citizen of a democracy and as a scientist, I think that given the choice between too many secrets and too much information, I would rather have the latter.
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