Comments on: ACLU Seeks To Expose More On Spying Programs

By: meatbrain

meatbrain — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 11:25:27 +0000

“The ACLU sounds like it believes it is a branch of the government of the United States.”
Stop pretending to be able to read minds, Kerwin. It only makes you look sillier.

“It is up to the various sections of the federal government to hold itself accountable.”
Do you mean that no one who is not a member of “the various sections of the federal government” — that is to say, no one who is only a citizen — may say anything about the activities of any government body? If you, you must retract the comment about the “activist judge”. Since you are not a section of the federal government, your own logic tells us that you are not permitted to make such comments. It’s up to some other branch of the federal government to hold the judge accountable for his actions — not a mere citizen named Kerwin Brown.

You apparently wish to forbid the ACLU from commenting on the workings of government — but you are unwilling to follow the very rules you would impose on others.

“The media has already made the public aware of the situation and we do not need to know the details.”
You may wrap yourself in a cocoon of ignorance if you wish, Kerwin. What right do you have to impose ignorance on others?

By: Riehl World View

Riehl World View — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 07:09:09 +0000

Have They Ever Asked You?
One would think that an institution that defines itself, first and foremost, as American might have a democratic element to it. I’m referring to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). They’ve never been on a ballot somewhere, so far as

By: kerwin_brown

kerwin_brown — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 03:31:17 +0000

meatbrain,

These are the words I was responding to.

‘“The American public has a right to know just how many spying programs this administration has created without Congressional authorization or judicial oversight,” said Barry Steinhardt, Director of the ACLU’s Technology and Liberty Project. “We hope these official requests will help answer that question – and if illegal spying is taking place we will demand an end to it.”’

The ACLU sounds like it believes it is a branch of the government of the United States. It is up to the various sections of the federal government to hold itself accountable. The media has already made the public aware of the situation and we do not need to know the details.

By: gfactor

gfactor — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 14:47:15 +0000

“Without any kind of court verdict in regards to legality on the NSA surveillance program, the ACLU continue to stomp their feet, consistently labelling it as “illegal” when there has been no official ruling of any kind.”

Would you like to see official rulings? then let the EFF’s case go forward.

By: meatbrain

meatbrain — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 21:32:16 +0000

“The ACLU is not a brance of the United States government and thus does not have the right to determine if a law has been broken.”
The word, Kerwin, is ‘branch’. Is it your assertion that no individual or organization that is not part of a branch of the US government may express any opinion whatsoever on the legality of any actions by governmental entities?

If that is your assertion, how do you reconcile it with the free speech provision of the First Amendment?

“An activist judge has already purposely violated and misused the Act…”
You’ve just expressed an opinion regarding the legality of the judge’s action, Kerwin. Are you a branch of the US government? No?

You thus do not have the right to determine if a law has been broken. At least, that’s what you’ve just told us.

By: kerwin_brown

kerwin_brown — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 19:02:17 +0000

In case the ACLU does not realize it, it is up to the executive brance to prosecute any crimes and the judicial brance to determine if the law has been violated and to measure out an apropriate penalty.

The ACLU is not a brance of the United States government and thus does not have the right to determine if a law has been broken.

The ACLU has a partnership with a foreign government, The UN, and I would not let them see any top secret U.S. documents.

By: ChicagoRay

ChicagoRay — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 11:52:52 +0000

More Today on Our Enemies of The State
Meanwhile, our friend Jay at Stop The ACLU has an extensive post examining the Anti-American organization’s continued fight to make sure that the NY &#38; LA Times have all the leeway &#38; freedoms they need keep our enemies fully informed of all our secret…

By: Jason Sonenshein

Jason Sonenshein — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 03:36:20 +0000

“Without any kind of court verdict in regards to legality on the NSA surveillance program, the ACLU continue to stomp their feet, consistently labelling it as ‘illegal’ when there has been no official ruling of any kind.”

No, Mr. Stephenson. The ACLU isn’t labeling the SWIFT program illegal. Here’s what Mr. Steinhardt said:

“and if illegal spying is taking place we will demand an end to it.” (emphasis added)

Mr. Steinhardt was clearly saying that the ACLU needs more information to determine whether illegal spying occurred. Do you ever actually bother to read stuff before you cut and paste it?

By: Bosun

Bosun — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 03:00:23 +0000

Typical of the eUnuch Nations. The rest of my opinion cannot be printed on this blog. The language would be considered way off color and not appropriate in mixed company. Nough said on that subject.

By: apostle

apostle — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 02:25:05 +0000

Thomas: A dumb question to be sure, meant to show some partyline dancing of course. No, I wouldn’t trust Clinton, Carter or Kennedy with a mop job let alone a spying program. I trust Bush (though I’m not his biggest fan) with spying on our enemies because he has shown he can get it done when it comes to military matters. If someone has proof he’s breaking the law, please share this information with Congress, because you have evidence that they don’t.