[Noisebridge-discuss] Jacob Applebaum detained upon arriving in U.S.

[Curly Wurly]

On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 12:47 PM, Quinn Norton <quinn at quinnnorton.com> wrote:

> yes, journalists wrestle with this sort of thing, but sometimes even in more straightforward journalism you decide that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.


In other words, the end justifies the means.  Why do journalists think
they have that right?

Instead of looking at the larger issue of the wars in total, the
reductionist in me boils it down to these assumptions:

1.) Assume there's a great injustice in the world.
2.) Assume I have a document, which when published could end that injustice.
3.) Assume that publishing the document will result in the execution
of John and Jane Doe.

I wouldn't publish it.

If you take a holistic view and pull in justifications such as how
unjust point 1 is, I think the debate gets cloudy.  Sticking with this
reductionist exposition, would anyone choose to publish it?


> there was also a danger of discovery which each and every person who worked with the occupiers, and it's the job of the US MIL to have alternative plans to get all of those people and their families out of danger.

I agree.