tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post6552036067576354133..comments2023-10-25T09:45:40.318-04:00Comments on The Politics of the Cross Resurrected: Wikileaks is a Threat to All of Us Who Value Free SpeechCraig Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10209954891388905090noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-42988759503630012522010-12-13T13:37:25.493-05:002010-12-13T13:37:25.493-05:00Dan,
There is no logical connection whatsoever bet...Dan,<br />There is no logical connection whatsoever between the proposition "governments in free, democratic societies should ostensibly being doing things that they were elected to do." and the justification of the stealing and publishing of private communications between governments. <br /><br />Pretending that Assange's anarchism is about freedom of information is just not credible. But if that is not what you meant to imply, maybe it would be good to say so.Craig Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209954891388905090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-34996963541300997322010-12-11T17:56:46.459-05:002010-12-11T17:56:46.459-05:00Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Just asking. It se...Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?<br /><br />Just asking. It seems that rules of international diplomacy were designed for a period of far more authoritarian forms of government. If we are truly supposed to have limited, constitutional forms of government that are backed by popular sovereignty and so on is it not reasonable that the people be able to find out what our public servants are doing? There are of course exceptional cases involving some forms of policing or intelligence gathering, but by and large democratic governments should be pursuing the objectives they publicly say they are pursuing.<br /><br />If the web has remained thus far uncensored simply because no one has had the temerity to really embarrass the ruling classes with it, then it was never really "uncensored" was it? Assange has always creeped me out, I don't think it's right for anyone to lionize this man, but that does not invalidate the idea that governments in free, democratic societies should ostensibly being doing things that they were elected to do.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00123028805112944367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-40551003112228304592010-12-09T10:20:34.399-05:002010-12-09T10:20:34.399-05:00"A people that cannot govern itself by indivi..."A people that cannot govern itself by individual moral restraint invites top-down, authoritarian, micro-management of their lives by a government placed there by people fed up with chaos. "<br /><br />Reminded me of a line in Michael Novak's "The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism"<br /><br />He writes, "Where self-government is not possible in personal life, it remains to be seen whether it is possible in the republic. Every prognosis based upon world history would suggest that lack of self-government in the individual citizenry will lead to a lack of restraint in the government of the republic." (p.170).<br /><br />The sad irony of wiki-leaks is they think they are "sticking it to 'the man.'" By and large they are actually empowering 'the man' particularly in the court of public opinion.<br /><br />Thanks for the blog, I've been a regularly reader for a number of weeks.timbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13059862238106919852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328993133397649838.post-71502434377694737412010-12-09T08:36:01.698-05:002010-12-09T08:36:01.698-05:00I agree they are juvenile. Their radical "fre...I agree they are juvenile. Their radical "free speech" stance comes off like so much self-important, narcissistic posturing. Unfortunately, this seems to be the way many people now think about political issues. It's all about what's cool and what makes us feel like we are rebellious and radical. I'm sick to death of it.Gordon Hackmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06342433273604253495noreply@blogger.com