"Well, we are a nation of laws"

[The Straight Story]

Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
December 7, 2010


QUESTION: On whether it’s breaking the law, (inaudible) breaking the law, this is information that is classified. I mean, media organizations often publish classified information. I mean, how do you determine who should be tried or not tried, depending on what they’ve published?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, we are a nation of laws. And we do have specific laws that govern the protection of information. And our focus, first and foremost, is on at least one individual who took an oath of office to protect the United States and its interests and has failed to heed that responsibility. But beyond that, we are mindful of the fact that we do have a Constitution, that enshrined in that Constitution is freedom of the press. We respect that, even as we have concerns about how it is exercised.

QUESTION: P.J., a State Department official passed along a message to Columbia University grad students that they shouldn’t discuss WikiLeaks on Facebook or Twitter; it would jeopardize employment opportunities with the U.S. Government.

MR. CROWLEY: Sean, I’m glad you raised that. First of all, we don’t know who that State Department official was. Whatever that individual passed to Columbia University is not a reflection of policy. Our focus here at the State Department is on – and we have given instructions to our employees here, because we are treating these documents as still classified, which means if you download these documents from an outside website to our unclassified system, it creates a security concern. So our instructions are to protect our unclassified network, not mix classified and unclassified information on that network. We do not control private internet access. We do not control private networks. We have issued no authoritative instructions to people who are not employees of the Department of State.



http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2010/12/152489.htm

No, we are a nation of some laws that apply to some people but not other.

We need to look beyond wikileaks and look ahead, looking behind is so....90's. Just like with bush, move along and ignore the breaking of laws.

[aquart]

1. Fine. Then I can assume we will extradite Cheney?

[Angry Dragon]

2. There are no laws for the rich untill they are caught

then a slap on the wrist is a harsh punishment that they will not forget

[RandomThoughts]

3. We are suppose to have laws.

We do not have laws in our nation, we have edicts that are selectively followed for reasons of privileged not earned, and sometimes even self righteousness.


When you actually have some laws in place, and justice, then we might start moving forward. But that also requires justice and compassion, and some just don't want that in their lives.

[Solly Mack]

4. You hafta read the fine print.

"Well, we are a nation of law*"

* There are punitive laws that apply to the little people and benefits of the law that apply to the privileged class

[BanzaiBonnie]

5. As long a Cheney and Rove are not prosecuted

for outing Valerie Plame, the rule of law means nothing. The rule of law is DEAD. Eric Holder speaks empty words and is hypocritical.


Justice for all or NONE.

[gratuitous]

6. And one of those laws is that the law doesn't apply to certain people

So we keep seeing these corrupt bastards slither back into the corridors of power, because they're never held responsible for their crimes. Heck, we don't even investigate them, because that's looking backward to the past instead of forward to the future.

[The Straight Story]

7. True. We just need to all look forward. Next time I get a ticket I will use that

"Judge, we are wasting time here, we need to look forward, not back at what I did."

[mstinamotorcity]

8. Were a Nation of Laws

that apply when circumstances permit, you know like being African American while driving or Latino without papers like they belong to a kennel club,or so you are native American how do you classify yourself???? Got It!!!!!

[closeupready]

9. Here's a question this raises: How can Assange be tried for espionage?

I mean, if the information essentially fell into his lap, came to him on its own - i.e., he did not steal the information or hack into it - that's not espionage, is it?

[gulliver]

10. This is why WikiLeaks is doomed.

People don't yet realize that if they are ever found to have supported WikiLeaks(much less contributed information or money to it), they will have a harder time getting a job. And what if WikiLeaks itself springs a leak and divulges the names of all its contributors? Everybody there loves leaks by definition.

[DirkGently]

11. We're great at punishing pot dealers & music pirates. War criminals ... not so much.

[The Straight Story]

12. We punish those that make personal choices, and reward those that harm others

screwed up world we are living in.

smoke in a bar? get a fine/ticket to appear. Spread land mines, depleted uranium, wage illegal wars? Get a raise and life time protection.