If you support the overhaul of the national security secrecy system stop-in and say hi

[bobthedrummer]

This thread was inspired by the Congressional testimony of Tom Blanton and others. Below is a link about Mr. Blanton's testimony.

National Security Archive Director Tom Blanton decries "Wikimania"
Congressional testimony calls for overhaul of secrecy system and restraint on prosecutions (12-16-10 National Security Archive)
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20101216/index.htm

President Obama promised transparency and a change of the culture in DC. Since WikiLeaks has delivered more along the transparency into what is supposed to be OUR government that claims it is speaking for US most of the time in formulating and enforcing policy than anyone else, so far-and an informed citizenry is REQUIRED for DEMOCRACY I'm all for the overhaul of the entire secrecy classification system.

I support what WikiLeaks is doing, and, wouldn't ya know it, today Dana Priest and William Arkin published about some "new" massive FBI/DHS database about US citizens.

Who else wants this highly politicized secrecy stuff overhauled-and especially pulled away from "national security contractors"?

Stop-in this thread and say :hi:

[sabrina 1]

1. Thanks for this. Blanton, who I had not known before the Judiciary hearing

was just excellent Conyers' Judiciary Panel of 'witnesses'. He made the point that the real reason for the Wiki 'leaks' was a failure on the part of those in charge, I believe. But he also, along with others on the panel, made the point that far too much material is classified which should not be.

Most of the 'witnesses' were very good. They were thoughtful, none of them, even the repubs, were out to get Wikileaks at all and I think it was unanimously agreed upon that it would be impossible to charge Assange under the Espionage Act.

Thanks for posting, I hope we hear more from him in the future.

Declassify everything, except for the most sensitive material. As was pointed out at those hearings, most of what Manning leaked so far, should not have been classified at all. And they had a great discussion about that too. Should someone be prosecuted with the same intensity for leaking stuff that, WHILE classified, should not be and will not cause harm other than embarrassment? At this point, the law is does not make a distinction between leaking legitimate top secret material, and stuff that should not be classified at all.

[nosmokes]

2. Hi, and K&R!

[Donnachaidh]

3. kick and Rec! n/t

[sabrina 1]

4. Meant to say, I do support an overhaul of all of these secrecy laws

As so many have said, we suffer far more from a secretive government than we do from transparency. Leaks are good when a society has become as secretive as this one.

[bobthedrummer]

5. I guess we are the vanguard-who else is with us? n/t

:hi:

[bobthedrummer]

6. I'm going offline, one more kick for today, btw I'm privileged to be with other citizens on record

as calling for a complete overhaul of all this secrecy crap. It's time for accountability to we, the people.
:hi:

[Octafish]

7. Secrecy is Secret Government's friend.

"The very word 'secrecy' is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths, and to secret proceedings." -- President John F. Kennedy

The Constitution makes clear We the People can handle the truth. About most things.

[LWolf]

8. Hi!

:hi:

[bobthedrummer]

9. There's 6 of us DUer's so far-who else wants this abuse of secrecy ended?

:hi:

[RegieRocker]

10. Hello what ya got cookin?

[bobthedrummer]

12. Personally, quite a lot, this is just a thread for those of us fed-up-btw welcome to DU

moreover, baked sweet potatoes and beefsteak with a salad tonight!
:patriot:

[RegieRocker]

14. Thanks!

[jotsy]

11. I do! I do!

I'm thinking about writing Santa a letter and asking if he'll make sure Anonymous stays ready to keep the internet open despite kill switches and hollow net neutrality that gifts yet even more money to the corporatocracy.

Let the sun shine in!

You know I rec'd it. :hi:

[supernova]

13. I support you

I support WikiLeaks efforts to shine a light on the dark corners of our intelligence gathering.

[MinM]

15. k&r

[bemildred]

16. Ciao.

We ought to at least change the name to "National Insecurity System" or something realistic like that.

[bobthedrummer]

17. I'm in good company, who else is with us? I'm fed-up with this crap. n/t