Anti-WikiLeaks lies and propaganda - from TNR, Lauer, Feinstein and more - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com

> Every line of pro-prosecution rationale cited by Feinstein applies equally to journalists — including especially the newspapers from around the world which are publishing all of the same diplomatic cables as WikiLeaks is, and which are publishing them **before WikiLeaks even does.**   How can it possibly be that WikiLeaks should be prosecuted for espionage, but not *The New York Times*, or *The Guardian*, or any other newspaper that publishes these cables?  > > In 2006, Alberto Gonzales [threatened to prosecute *The New York Times*](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/21/AR2006052100348.html) for revealing Bush’s illegal NSA program, and [*The Weekly Standard* ran numerous articles calling for the prosecution of *NYT* journalists and editors](http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/385jqmfk.asp) under the Espionage Act for having done so.  Bill Bennett [demanded the prosecution](http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2006_05_21-2006_05_27.shtml#1148648350) of *The Washington Post*‘s Dana Priest for revealing the CIA black sites.  How can all the Good Democrats who condemned that mentality possibly not condemn Dianne Feinstein and those who think like her?  What’s the difference? “I am… for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents.” –Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799. ME 10:78

That quote from Jefferson is most poignant to the Wikileaks discussion.

A disturbing number of people seem to think that journalists in this country should be legally obligated to hold back information at the behest of their government. That’s insane to me. The government can request that a story be held for “national security” reasons, but no journalist is legally bound to obey that request. It’s a professional courtesy, one that can be denied, if the journalist judges that people have a right to that information.

As far as I can tell, the New York Times, Guardian, and even Wikileaks itself made every effort to redact whatever information they may have felt could cause legitimate security issues. They requested help with that from their governments, but didn’t get it. So they used their best judgement.

Ultimately, if you think that your government should be able to arrest people for publishing information that was leaked in whatever fashion, then you are placing far too much trust in your government. A free press is a crucial part of the checks and balances system that has served us pretty well thus far. Start questioning whether or not the government can actually prosecute you for publishing something, no matter how sensitive, and you hand a tremendous amount of power over a very small group of individuals, who, let’s be honest, have not come close to proving themselves to have our best interests at heart.

What if one of our senators decided to murder someone in cold blood, just for spite? Then he or she declared it was a matter of national security. Are we no longer entitled to that information? Who gets to decide what constitutes a national secret, and who doesn’t? How do I know it’s in my own best interest not to know something?

It’s an awful lot of trust to put in another human being you don’t even know.

Put down the flag for a minute and use common sense. Particularly since 9/11, our government has been systematically usurping more and more power without a peep from us. Don’t fall for the patriotic nonsense that we should allow our government to do as it pleases without any consequences.

And to those in the government, you have two options: Plug the leaks in your boat, or STOP DOING EMBARRASSING, ILLEGAL, AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC THINGS. This stuff is leaking for a reason. Clearly, some people on the inside feel that you are doing some things you shouldn’t be doing. So much so that they are risking their lives to leak it.

We’re not all uneducated children. If you honestly think there’s a good reason why you have to break the rules every once in a while, level with us. Explain it to us. Because ultimately, no matter what you may think, YOU ANSWER TO US.