Crazy idea. Do you agree with it?

[Henrin]

Maybe instead of arresting people for treason that reveal wrong doings in the government we can celebrate them as patriots and tell the government to leave them the hell alone. Maybe the government can just stop declaring things top secret due to the actions being wrong. I know, what? Crazy ass stuff going on in here, but what do you think?

This Edward Snowden we all know will be dragged in and charged with treason, but he is not a traitor, but a goddamn patriot. I'm sick of the government violating the rights of people and then charging those brave enough to speak up about it with treason. If this isn't an act of an out of control government I really don't know what is.

 

[ChuckBerry]

drawing and quartering (punishment) -- Encyclopedia Britannica

 

[MaggieD]

Maybe instead of arresting people for treason that reveal wrong doings in the government we can celebrate them as patriots and tell the government to leave them the hell alone. Maybe the government can just stop declaring things top secret due to the actions being wrong. I know, what? Crazy ass stuff going on in here, but what do you think?

This Edward Snowden we all know will be dragged in and charged with treason, but he is not a traitor, but a goddamn patriot. I'm sick of the government violating the rights of people and then charging those brave enough to speak up about it with treason. If this isn't an act of an out of control government I really don't know what is.

If he's a hero, he won't go to jail. If it's legal? He should spend a good 20 years there. You rolls the dice, you takes your chances. We need more heros. But not at the expense of our security.

 

[Henrin]

drawing and quartering (punishment) -- Encyclopedia Britannica

So that is what you done to the guy? Seems brutal, but ok. Personally, I consider him a hero and just want the government to leave him be until he actually does more than just whistle blow on human right violations. It would be entirely different if he endangered lives, but telling the people they are being watched only endangers the government. That means nothing to me or the people.

 

[Surtr]

drawing and quartering (punishment) -- Encyclopedia Britannica

Meh. I'm a firm believer that rats should be hanged by the neck until dead.

 

[Henrin]

Dammit, I forgot to make the poll public. :censored

 

[ChezC3]

If he's a hero, he won't go to jail. If it's legal? He should spend a good 20 years there. You rolls the dice, you takes your chances. We need more heros. But not at the expense of our security.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Benjamin Franklin

 

[Surtr]

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Benjamin Franklin

That's nice, but he didn't complain when they put treason as a punishable offense in the Constitution. Because that's what this is. Treason.

 

[ChezC3]

That's nice, but he didn't complain when they put treason as a punishable offense in the Constitution. Because that's what this is. Treason.

Absolutely, Obama has committed it on numerous occasions during his time in the WH...

 

[Henrin]

If he's a hero, he won't go to jail. If it's legal? He should spend a good 20 years there. You rolls the dice, you takes your chances. We need more heros. But not at the expense of our security.

Let's put this way, I'm more afraid of the government than of the terrorists. I utterly refuse to accept this exchange to fight terrorism.

 

[Redress]

Maybe instead of arresting people for treason that reveal wrong doings in the government we can celebrate them as patriots and tell the government to leave them the hell alone. Maybe the government can just stop declaring things top secret due to the actions being wrong. I know, what? Crazy ass stuff going on in here, but what do you think?

This Edward Snowden we all know will be dragged in and charged with treason, but he is not a traitor, but a goddamn patriot. I'm sick of the government violating the rights of people and then charging those brave enough to speak up about it with treason. If this isn't an act of an out of control government I really don't know what is.

Here is another crazy idea: how about we actually expect people to obey the laws of the country they choose to live in.

 

[Henrin]

Here is another crazy idea: how about we actually expect people to obey the laws of the country they choose to live in.

Patriotism calls for you to protect the liberty of the people. This means very clearly that laws must be violated to uphold it if they stand in your way.

 

[Redress]

Patriotism calls for you to protect the liberty of the people. This means very clearly that laws must be violated to uphold it if they stand in your way.

Laws are an extention of the will of the very people you refer to. Anarchy does not work very well in the real world.

 

[ThePlayDrive]

Maybe instead of arresting people for treason that reveal wrong doings in the government we can celebrate them as patriots and tell the government to leave them the hell alone. Maybe the government can just stop declaring things top secret due to the actions being wrong. I know, what? Crazy ass stuff going on in here, but what do you think?

This Edward Snowden we all know will be dragged in and charged with treason, but he is not a traitor, but a goddamn patriot. I'm sick of the government violating the rights of people and then charging those brave enough to speak up about it with treason. If this isn't an act of an out of control government I really don't know what is.

I don't know that he's a patriot or a traitor - probably closer to the latter though. I still need more time to process how I feel about him as an individual. I am, however, grateful that he released the information. I also find some people's blind condemnation of him to be sad. It's sad when people automatically accept the narrative that government tells.

Thus far, there isn't any evidence that his revelation has seriously harmed national security to a degree that I'm not willing to risk. With that in mind, I find the scare tactics of Obama and others who are trying to frightening the public into sympathizing with the government to be unconvincing and insulting to my intelligence.

I hope he is protected under whistleblower laws and I hope the Patriot Act is eventually repealed.

 

[ThePlayDrive]

Here is another crazy idea: how about we actually expect people to obey the laws of the country they choose to live in.

Which laws?

 

[Henrin]

Laws are an extention of the will of the very people you refer to. Anarchy does not work very well in the real world.

There are many laws and court rulings that are not the extension of the will of the people. What you say here is more of a nice dream that you have during a nice nap on a warm summer afternoon.

Btw, I'm not an anarchist. There is a difference between being a patriot, and believing in anarchy.

 

[Henrin]

Which laws?

The fact is that some laws are meant to be broken.

 

[Redress]

There are many laws and court rulings that are not the extension of the will of the people. What you say here is more of a nice dream that you have during a nice nap on a warm summer afternoon.

Btw, I'm not an anarchist. There is a difference between being a patriot, and believing in anarchy.

Wrong. There are mechanisms in place to put those in power who we want to make our laws. We call these things elections. We have the power, directly or indirectly, to control what government does. That you can't be bothered to use those mechanisms is not the fault of the laws.

Just like Manning had legal avenues to bring forth his allegations of misconduct, you have legal avenues to work towards change of any and every law.

 

[MaggieD]

Let's put this way, I'm more afraid of the government than of the terrorists. I utterly refuse to accept this exchange to fight terrorism.

You say that until it happens on YOUR Main Street. Bottle bombs at the Starbuck's outdoor cafe; bombs in the shopping center where you and your family shop; airliners that drop from the sky. The fact that the government is monitoring phone records -- not conversations, mind you, but calls -- is a small price to pay so that me and mine -- and you and YOURS -- can be safer, in my opinion.

 

[Surtr]

Absolutely, Obama has committed it on numerous occasions during his time in the WH...

The point is that the founding fathers are hardly a source of morality. Most of them were hypocrites and liars.

 

[Henrin]

The point is that the founding fathers are hardly a source of morality. Most of them were hypocrites and liars.

When someone is right it hardly matters the source. They are in the end, still right.

 

[Henrin]

Wrong. There are mechanisms in place to put those in power who we want to make our laws. We call these things elections. We have the power, directly or indirectly, to control what government does. That you can't be bothered to use those mechanisms is not the fault of the laws.

Just like Manning had legal avenues to bring forth his allegations of misconduct, you have legal avenues to work towards change of any and every law.

And what is the legal avenue one is to take in revealing top secret information?

 

[Redress]

And what is the legal avenue one is to take in revealing top secret information?

Go to his congressman, senator or Inspector General. If he does that, he is immune from any reprisal. That too is laid out in the law of this country.

 

[Surtr]

When someone is right it hardly matters the source. They are in the end, still right.

The source matters a lot. Jefferson can hardly be taken seriously when he spoke of freedom and liberty, and the right of all men to be free while holding slaves simply because the act of slavery allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle free of hard labor.

 

[Henrin]

Go to his congressman, senator or Inspector General. If he does that, he is immune from any reprisal. That too is laid out in the law of this country.

Yeah, that should work well. :lamo