[Requiem]

Wikileaks has been making the headlines quite a bit in recent months. They've had some pretty important information passed to them, and make no apology for posting it to the world. The latest thing to happen is 90,000 secret US military records being posted up.

So here's my question for you guys: is it good to have this information posted up and available across the web, or do you consider it irresponsible?

[Gold_TSG]

Just a bunch of idiots that want attention.

[Sway]

I think Wikileaks is a valuable institution in today's world, where the media is too pussy to do any real reporting. I don't care what their goal is or what they're in it for -- the fact that the U.S. intelligence records leaked reveal civilian killings, friendly fire deaths and shadowy special forces should be out there, because that's some bullshit. Where the fuck was traditional media on that, in nearly ten years?

It's not irresponsible to have those records up, or to show a video of a helicopter killing civilians, or to have a copy of the fucked-up Gitmo manual available to perusing; the insurgency is not gaining anything from that, and if anyone with power actually had any shame, it would stop this behavior. Were Wikileaks wrong to publish this info? Were Woodward and Bernstein wrong to reveal what Nixon was up to? Not in my opinion -- in fact, I think the only argument that can be made is it hurts troop morale/our country lost its innocence. Well, fuck you, innocent people are dying and corruption is infecting everything.

Corporations should be shamed; the military should be shamed; Scientology should be shamed. Everything I've seen published from them has been for the greater public good, and so to brush them off as mere attention whores is making you part of the problem. Is it the best solution? No, I wish this kind of stuff was coming from the established media and that government bodies were actually paying attention instead of trying to shut the site up. Has it changed things much? I'd argue it has, though not like Watergate did -- the United States, and the world, have become too jaded.

Signed, a powerless nobody who is frustrated with the universe.

[Red]

I love you, Sway. The man speaks the truth, people.

[Red]

sway/req 2012

[Gold_TSG]

I'm no more part of the problem than a dog taking a shit in my yard. Not once has government or politics been a part of my daily focus. For one, I don't have the power to do shit-all, and if I did, shit would be done about it. I have no desire to get involved in a problem I cannot fix, knowing that I can't do anything. I also don't plan to waste my time playing “Who's to blame?” because others who have the time and know-how can do it for me. Maybe if I fought about it for a few more post, you'd have all the reason to call me part of the problem, but since that's not the case, your grouping me with them is pre-judged and unwarrented. Don't take your frustration out on me just because you're unhappy.

[Sway]

See, that's the problem Wikileaks is trying to solve: apathy, or people who think they can't do anything because they have no power. Clearly, Wikileaks has shown that's not the case.

[Gold_TSG]

It's true to some degree. All the government needs to do is point and shout “TRAITOR!!” and send in the SWAT team.

[Sway]

Oh yeah, and my message was not directed at you, it was directed at Oliver North probably.

[Gold_TSG]

Then mostly disregard what I said as a general rant.

["That Other Guy"]

So apparently this exists which I didn't know before now, but it's pretty cool. I think most knowledge should be available to the general public, especially stuff like mistakes that the military has made. And stuff. I don't know. Posting is hard.

[KennEH!]

I think it's stupid to realease this now, when there are plans to remove trrops out. Before when the war didn't like it would end yeah.

[Green]

Has there been a statement on this by anyone who is on the other end of the finger? Even denial?

[Sway]

KennEH!, on 28 July 2010 - 12:24 PM, said:

I think it's stupid to try this serial killer now, when he has already been caught by authorities. Before when the killings didn't look like they would end yeah.

[Kvitne]

I pretty much agree with what Sway said. If people aren't being endangered by the information being released, then we have the right to know.

[Sway]

Not just that, this could prevent innocent people from being endangered by the very people they should not be endangered by! I mean, claiming this is a bad thing, to me, is like claiming what happened to Kitty Genovese is a good thing, and that everyone around had the appropriate response. I don't care if it's Our Team, that's not what I pay taxes for and I won't support it just because.

"Security" of any kind should not compel us to turn a blind eye toward injustice.

[Kvitne]

Yup, exactly. Sway is the voice of my people. And by "my people" I mean the brain trolls living in my head that make my thoughts work good.