http://www.jackcentral.com/2008/02/21/california-judge-orders-site-shut-down/ The Lumberjack online! Mon, 12 May 2008 01:05:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 http://www.jackcentral.com/2008/02/21/california-judge-orders-site-shut-down/#comment-1167 tm244 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:42:33 +0000 http://www.jackcentral.com/2008/02/21/california-judge-orders-site-shut-down/#comment-1167 *continuation* On one end of the spectrum you have a document that says what's for lunch tomorrow in the cafeteria of the FBI building, and then on the opposite end you have the names and identities of secret agents in Lebanon who are working to prevent an anti-helicopter rocket arms deal from happening. As you look towards the center of the spectrum of what is disclose able information and what is not, the line between the two becomes very thin and blurred. It’s questionable to have that line read by a couple of guys running a web site. *continuation*
On one end of the spectrum you have a document that says what’s for lunch tomorrow in the cafeteria of the FBI building, and then on the opposite end you have the names and identities of secret agents in Lebanon who are working to prevent an anti-helicopter rocket arms deal from happening. As you look towards the center of the spectrum of what is disclose able information and what is not, the line between the two becomes very thin and blurred. It’s questionable to have that line read by a couple of guys running a web site.

]]> http://www.jackcentral.com/2008/02/21/california-judge-orders-site-shut-down/#comment-1166 tm244 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:18:24 +0000 http://www.jackcentral.com/2008/02/21/california-judge-orders-site-shut-down/#comment-1166 The judge was absolutely right in allowing the closure of a web site that had the potential to endanger the lives of Americans. It shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of a group of webmasters to dictate what is right and what is wrong for the American people (and potentially people with hostile intentions against America) to know about how government agencies conduct business (especially in instances of national security). Scooter Libby stepped over the line (or didn’t) when he revealed the identity of a CIA agent (many months after she was decommissioned from her post). Was he wrong to disclose government secrets? What’s interesting is that the same people who condemned Libby are also condemning the closure of Wikileak.org for doing the same things. Free information is a beautiful thing and in America, people should be allowed to know the inner workings of their government. However some things are better left a secret and it’s irresponsible to allow a small group of single-minded individuals control what government secrets the public (and possibly those with hostile intentions towards America) knows. The judge was absolutely right in allowing the closure of a web site that had the potential to endanger the lives of Americans. It shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of a group of webmasters to dictate what is right and what is wrong for the American people (and potentially people with hostile intentions against America) to know about how government agencies conduct business (especially in instances of national security). Scooter Libby stepped over the line (or didn’t) when he revealed the identity of a CIA agent (many months after she was decommissioned from her post). Was he wrong to disclose government secrets? What’s interesting is that the same people who condemned Libby are also condemning the closure of Wikileak.org for doing the same things. Free information is a beautiful thing and in America, people should be allowed to know the inner workings of their government. However some things are better left a secret and it’s irresponsible to allow a small group of single-minded individuals control what government secrets the public (and possibly those with hostile intentions towards America) knows.

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