General Discussion

Savannahmann

(3,891 posts)

108. What does a Free Press get us?

Sun Aug 18, 2013, 08:28 PM

Aug 2013

It means we can debate the topics that matter freely. It means that in the 1850's, people could write about Slavery, and the public could consider the issue. It means that during the 1960's, we could consider the issues of the war in Viet-Nam.

So where in history can we find a time when things could not be discussed? Foreign history, plenty of examples. American History, some examples too. In the 1950's you couldn't print that the Government was using the Red Scare to intimidate people into compliance. You couldn't print that while there may be Communists in Government, that hunting them with such a dense instrument was asinine. You couldn't write that it was a witch-hunt of the worst sort.

It's amazing that so many people on our side, the traditional side of Civil Rights, have abandoned those principles of late.

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BREAKING: Glenn Greenwald's partner detained at Heathrow airport for nine hours [View all] 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 OP

Who requested that action I wonder. dkf Aug 2013 #1

I bet Obama did it for shits and giggles NightWatcher Aug 2013 #3

Oh fabulous. MannyGoldstein Aug 2013 #2

The message could not be more clear. MotherPetrie Aug 2013 #4

Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #5

Holy Crap! Is that for reals? 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #19

The irony that his last name is 'Miranda' is certainly not lost... drokhole Aug 2013 #29

Between Snowden ("Catch-22") and the eponymous Miranda, the mind boggles HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #82

Somehow, I missed the Catch-22 connection LearningCurve Aug 2013 #121

Wow, good catch! drokhole Aug 2013 #122

Ironic that his name is Miranda. sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #30

Yep. An attempt at harassment and intimidation Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #33

So stupid of them. This will only enhance support for journalists and whistle blowers and sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #44

this is exactly what Rowling was rapping when she wrote Crouch, Sr., and Scrimgeour MisterP Aug 2013 #32

on what basis did they seize all his electronics? grasswire Aug 2013 #6

ya, that part is bullshit, IMO. FirstLight Aug 2013 #9

Article doesn't say..... But, that sounds really agressive...n/t KoKo Aug 2013 #11

Yes. Schedule 7 allows for confiscation of personal property up to 7 days. Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #13

I don't know about the UK, but the US can and will. hootinholler Aug 2013 #17

Who'll stop them? OTHER men with guns? nt valerief Aug 2013 #78

Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act has been widely criticised KoKo Aug 2013 #7

And now it targets the partners of Journalists. I hope this increases the pressure to get rid of it sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #46

It is yet another clear indication of where society is headed on the current path. And it's RKP5637 Aug 2013 #74

Ahh the Nazi state burnodo Aug 2013 #8

Post removed Post removed Aug 2013 #10

Not funny. n/t totodeinhere Aug 2013 #41

Sounds homophobic to me burnodo Aug 2013 #42

FYI , I'm the person who alerted on your gay slur post. TeamPooka Aug 2013 #53

jury results 4-2 to hide it TeamPooka Aug 2013 #73

Thank you for alerting... Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #113

It is a mistake...really nadinbrzezinski Aug 2013 #12

Hope everything was well encrypted, just for the harassment value. Downwinder Aug 2013 #14

How many posts will it take to blame Obama??? NYC_SKP Aug 2013 #15

The thought would naturally occur..though. KoKo Aug 2013 #18

No doubt. Leader of the free world. NYC_SKP Aug 2013 #20

For the record.. SidDithers Aug 2013 #37

Slower than usual. Scurrilous Aug 2013 #88

Looks like you were the first to raise that theme. ON EDIT: Comrade Grumpy Aug 2013 #47

Remember people! This action had to be done to keep us safe Vinnie From Indy Aug 2013 #16

And. . . . . don't we feel safe~~~~~~~ JDPriestly Aug 2013 #79

Awful lot of trouble for "just hype." NuclearDem Aug 2013 #21

Yes, this may require yet another new "meme" to be launched 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #22

It was to help push the Libertarian/Rand Paul agenda. sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #43

The Obama yes men / yes women must be cheering at this AZ Progressive Aug 2013 #23

Greenwald's article on this incident. Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #24

We've been misunderstanding the word 'terrorist'. What it really means is 'Journalists not sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #51

Nailed it. reusrename Aug 2013 #111

Will this horseshit never end? JEB Aug 2013 #25

Going after a persons "loved ones" is pretty low in my book. 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #34

The stuff of repressive totalitarian regimes. JEB Aug 2013 #35

Indeed. "journalists [and] their family members were targeted for arbitrary detention or arrest" Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #39

It slams what we tell the rest of the word to do right back in our face... KoKo Aug 2013 #67

Do you have a theory about which particular "thug" or "thugs" are responsible? CakeGrrl Aug 2013 #56

Going after a persons "loved ones" is thuggery, as in a TACTIC 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #58

gee, who do you think wields that kind of influence? frylock Aug 2013 #60

Just confirming that CakeGrrl Aug 2013 #70

We are what we do. JDPriestly Aug 2013 #83

I would bet that it would be the US Government. Autumn Aug 2013 #71

If I remember Mario Puzo correctly, even the Mafia declared 'loved ones' off limits. I may HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #86

I believe you are correct 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #89

I just read the full Greenwald statement on another thread and discovered he HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #93

I love it when that happens. eom 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #107

Government Conspiracy Proven Ichingcarpenter Aug 2013 #26

+1 Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #27

PS? alcibiades_mystery Aug 2013 #85

I know, I know! NorthCarolina Aug 2013 #87

It is difficult to make sense of... Dr. Strange Aug 2013 #98

Another poster obsessed with ProSense.. poor things have Cha Aug 2013 #103

That can't be true alcibiades_mystery Aug 2013 #106

lol.. Exactly. Cha Aug 2013 #109

Last name is Miranda? Rex Aug 2013 #28

lol - nice catch. nt 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #31

+1 - nt HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #94

America The Beautiful - Land Of Despots And Tyrants - Home Of The Oligarchs And Corporatists cantbeserious Aug 2013 #36

You do know that Heathrow is in England, don't you?... SidDithers Aug 2013 #38

Yes - Do You Know We Pay The Brits To Spy On American Citizens cantbeserious Aug 2013 #40

all english speaking nations iamthebandfanman Aug 2013 #55

Yes, most of people do know that. Some who know probably approve of it. I wonder how the British sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #120

And England acts totally independent of the United States... burnodo Aug 2013 #45

oh noes! iamthebandfanman Aug 2013 #54

They've gone completely fucking crazy. East Coast Pirate Aug 2013 #48

This has nothing to do with terrorism. This does reveal who our government considers Autumn Aug 2013 #49

One...nt SidDithers Aug 2013 #50

It would be great if this high profile occurrence will effect law and policy change. Matariki Aug 2013 #52

Seems like an abuse of authority, an explanation is morally required. nt geek tragedy Aug 2013 #57

At least they don't have children together Aerows Aug 2013 #62

Not sure I understand what you're saying. nt geek tragedy Aug 2013 #63

I'm saying that it's a good thing that they don't have adopted children Aerows Aug 2013 #65

They seem to love shitting on South Americans. n/t LuvNewcastle Aug 2013 #59

Because he tells the truth, Greenwald is considered a dangerous man. Octafish Aug 2013 #61

Fortunately they live in Chile, which itself was a victim of the US's Massive Surveillance sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #75

They live in Brazil. n/t tammywammy Aug 2013 #77

Thank you, anywhere in S. America is a good place for Western Journalists to be right now. sabrina 1 Aug 2013 #81

Rio De Janeiro is in Brazil, not Chile. nt msanthrope Aug 2013 #117

Glenn will be detained much longer once Snowden is brought in. MjolnirTime Aug 2013 #64

Because no one cares anymore, HammerTime Aerows Aug 2013 #66

Quite prolific, since JoeyT Aug 2013 #76

Kinda like that Time magazine guy Union Scribe Aug 2013 #92

unlike Snowden, I don't need a fan club. But thanks for caring. MjolnirTime Aug 2013 #96

But can you dance? n/t Aerows Aug 2013 #102

The Public at large has moved on. I know that saddens you. MjolnirTime Aug 2013 #95

Again, you haven't Aerows Aug 2013 #100

You've been saying that for awhile now. nt Union Scribe Aug 2013 #91

I think he's trying to convince himself Aerows Aug 2013 #101

I imagine the J�dische Ghetto-Polizei must have sounded like that. nt Bonobo Aug 2013 #114

"We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo theHandpuppet Aug 2013 #68

I was just thinking "We defended the Brits from the Nazis for this?" So the Walt HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #97

Wanting to get all the electronic data would be part of the motive muriel_volestrangler Aug 2013 #69

And I bet he got a trojan on his smartphone for free! DetlefK Aug 2013 #72

knr Douglas Carpenter Aug 2013 #80

The Grand Farce of a Soap Opera continues alcibiades_mystery Aug 2013 #84

I venture a guess 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #90

+Infinity! The Empathy Deficit Disorder on display is really something, isn't it? - nt HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #99

I am seeing some seriously ugly shit here - Hell Hath No Fury Aug 2013 #104

That comment was horribly cruel. If my husband was held by authorities Luminous Animal Aug 2013 #115

Yeah, I'm not really getting the "Illuminati" vibe here. Arkana Aug 2013 #105

What does a Free Press get us? Savannahmann Aug 2013 #108

"uninformed consent" is an oxymoron. 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #116

K & R !!! WillyT Aug 2013 #110

... Mr Miranda ... had spent the previous week in Berlin visiting Laura Poitras ... who has .. been struggle4progress Aug 2013 #112

The Guardian paid for the trip? A bit odd, no? nt msanthrope Aug 2013 #118

"More than 97 percent of people stopped under the provision are questioned for under an hour, 99th_Monkey Aug 2013 #119

Sounds like good old repression to me. JEB Aug 2013 #123