New Sedition Act: is this what you want?

[AMonger]

From:
Former GOP congressman predicts new Sedition Act | Raw Story

Those of you who lovingly fawn and slobber over government, those of you who feel the need for a master governing your lives, even though that master is comprised of humans as fallible (or moreso) than you, is this what you want?

Excerpts from the site above:

Desire to stop secrets outlet WikiLeaks from disclosing more US documents could lead to a new Sedition Act, according to former Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA).
Try as they might, US officials will not be able to convict WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under current laws and will resort to passing new draconian measures, Barr explained in a recent column.


... those convicted were pardoned by President Thomas Jefferson.
"Jefferson was, of course, right in his view of this law (which expired before its constitutionality could be determined by the Supreme Court)," Barr wrote. "His wisdom is well-needed today to quell the blood thirst of those clamoring for Assange’s head because of WikiLeaks’ release of cables and e-mails critical of and embarrassing to, the government."


...


"Reading the Espionage Act the way Assange’s critics would have us do, would open a Pandora’s Box of virtually unlimited reach," he wrote.
"By its terms, it criminalizes not merely the disclosure of national defense information by organizations such as Wikileaks, but also the reporting on that information by countless news organizations," Benjamin Wittes, a legal analyst from the Brookings Institution, explained on his blog. "It also criminalizes all casual discussions of such disclosures by persons not authorized to receive them to other persons not authorized to receive them–in other words, all tweets sending around those countless news stories, all blogging on them, and all dinner party conversations about their contents."
"Taken at its word, the Espionage Act makes felons of us all," he added.
"Yet such ridiculously broad expansion of federal law, simply to pillory a person who clearly delights in embarrassing the government, would seem to be what some in Washington, including Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Rep. Peter King (R-NY), just might have in mind," Barr continued.

 

[pjjjjj]

From:
Former GOP congressman predicts new Sedition Act | Raw Story

Those of you who lovingly fawn and slobber over government, those of you who feel the need for a master governing your lives, even though that master is comprised of humans as fallible (or moreso) than you, is this what you want?

Hmm everyone seems kinda quiet on this one? This is one of those times when I tend to get very confused about seeing Americans as really contradictory... all for freedom and their rights.. but only to a point and only as long as it's exactly how they each want it and individually perceive it should be.

 

[Turtle]

Not much to say regarding the opinion of a former congressman. All former congressmen have opinions, most of them about as good as the ones they had before they were former congressmen.

 

[AMonger]

Hmm everyone seems kinda quiet on this one? This is one of those times when I tend to get very confused about seeing Americans as really contradictory... all for freedom and their rights.. but only to a point and only as long as it's exactly how they each want it and individually perceive it should be.

Maybe they're happy about it. Some people aren't happy unless they're enslaved. When I was in the military, a friend of mine always bemoaned how he had wished basic training was tougher. He said, "They should be allowed to throw us through windows!"

I think some people have the same opinion about civilian life. They feel like better citizens if they kowtow.

 

[RLENT]

Maybe they're happy about it.

Not happy ... just haven't had the chance to read Barr's piece .... been too busy in other threads

Some people aren't happy unless they're enslaved.

Actually, many people are that way ..... as long as the illusion of freedom (and, of course, more and better shopping) exists, they quite willing give up their freedoms .... and, usually, by the time they realize where they have gone it is far, far too late ..

I think some people have the same opinion about civilian life. They feel like better citizens if they kowtow.

Awww ..... I dunno .... I've heard boot-lickin' is vastly over-rated ...

 

[RLENT]

Here's a little ditty that is related to this overall issue ....

"White House Drafts Executive Order for Indefinite Detention

The White House is preparing an Executive Order on indefinite detention that will provide periodic reviews of evidence against dozens of prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, according to several administration officials.

The draft order, a version of which was first considered nearly 18 months ago, is expected to be signed by President Obama early in the New Year. The order allows for the possibility that detainees from countries like Yemen might be released if circumstances there change.

But the order establishes indefinite detention as a long-term Obama administration policy and makes clear that the White House alone will manage a review process for those it chooses to hold without charge or trial."

Remainder Of Original Article:

White House Drafts Executive Order for Indefinite Detention

One of the first things that any citizen ought to be asking whenever the government comes up with some "bright idea" in regards to security is:

How's this gonna work if they decide to use it on me ?