Obama’s crackdown views leaks as aiding enemies of U.S.

[PLATO]

The posts here show that not only is there room for debate here, but that there are some fundamental issues to debate. Snowden's release of information has set this in motion. For no other reason than that, I am glad that he did. I am not glad that some things our enemies ought not to know is now in the public domain, but I am happy that some things that free citizens need to consider is in the public domain for discussion.

I do not argue the governments point that he committed crimes under the law or that national security may have been compromised to an extent. Nonetheless, with increasing technological means of information gathering, we the people, need to be involved in telling government what is right and what is wrong for us. It may be that metadata analysis will be okay with the people. If so, then fine. It should be the people who decide...not some nebulous secret court interpreting a law that even our elected representatives are unclear exactly what it means.

Clarity and direction are what is needed...and that must come from the people themselves.

The fact that we see a large variance in opinion only means that there is an issue that really does need addressing. Snowden has brought us an opportunity to discuss the bigger issue. As for him personally? No doubt that he is guilty. It would have been nice to bring this type of issue to the front in other ways, but that is just not how the system works.

[Wezil]

Oh boo hoo. People got to stay home all day and not go to work.

ITS FASCSISM

Yes, it was an entirely reasonable response to TWO CRIMINALS.

The government yells "TERRORISM" and you fold like a pansy.

[notyoueither]

Has any city in any 'free' country ever been shut down as Boston was for a man-hunt?

[Dinner]

Boston was not shut down. People were advised to stay indoors but nothing happened to them, in a legal sense, if they didn't.

[Sava]

Yes, it was an entirely reasonable response to TWO CRIMINALS.

The government yells "TERRORISM" and you fold like a pansy.

It's not as if the actions on the part of law enforcement were unpopular. Did you see the crowds cheering after they got the second guy alive?

And big deal "two criminals". They had bombs capable of inflicting a lot of damage on soft targets. Dozens more people could have been killed.

How many deaths is the benchmark, in your mind, for law enforcement to take such action?

There was no downside. Absolutely none. Nobody had their freedom oppressed. Nobody was locked up for being gay or Jewish or slavic or whatever.

And a whole lotta people got a few days of vacation.

Only idiots and conspiracy dildos think the response was wrong.

[DaShi]

"So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause."

[The Mad Monk]

Boston was not shut down. People were advised to stay indoors but nothing happened to them, in a legal sense, if they didn't.

Of course, something might happen to them, in a bullet sense, if they didn't.

[DaShi]

Are you implying that the police would shoot people for not obeying the request to stay in their homes? Don't you think that's a bit extreme?

[regexcellent]

"So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause."

You quote that movie and I cut you.

[DaShi]

It is a delightfully hamfisted line, and it's one of his better ones.

[Elok]

You quote that movie and I cut you.

Do you recall how well that strategy worked with sb and the silly graphics? Wait...that was you, wasn't it?

(which is not so suggest there is anything moral or defensible about reminding us of that movie's existence)

[giblets]

Are you implying that the police would shoot people for not obeying the request to stay in their homes? Don't you think that's a bit extreme?

Are you prepared to find out?

[DaShi]

Yes, because I don't believe that we live in a fascist police state or are even heading in that direction.

[Felch]

Are you implying that the police would shoot people for not obeying the request to stay in their homes? Don't you think that's a bit extreme?

The LAPD went pretty crazy during the Dorner search. It's not a matter of policy to shoot innocent people, but it is policy to give the trigger happy cops a slap on the wrist as punishment.

[DaShi]

That hardly implies a police state. Especially considering the hefty payout they received. But I guess we're at the point where we just cherry pick articles to "prove" our points. How Dinodockian.