Should government not hide informations from us?

[antonkr]

i just wanted to hear do you guys think its a good idea for governments to release all information to the public or should some information stay within the government to protect us from something shocking that can start a panic/revolution within the country.

[WastelandAssassin]

i can't believe that i am about to say this, but i trust the government, and it's members

 

of course, it would be nice to know what is really going on, but it would be really bad, hearing about every little problem the country has

 

from what i've learned in citizenship class in school (at least that's how the name is translated), the whole reason that a true democratic system couldn't work, is that people just couldn't absorb all the information, and reach proper decisions on it

this is why the people choose representatives, that make the decisions for the people

 

so having all the information revealed to us would have probably created chaos, and no good will come out of it

or at least, that is my opinion on the matter

[Balagor]

Some times my gouvernment does not tell me all, that is mostly when they screw up. I would like them to tell me more and be more open. However I don´t think that classified information should ever be given to the public. By classified I mean information about how some terrorists is just about to be captured. That would indeed endanger the mission. Every thing else than classified is for the public ear too, I think.

[Chaosblade02]

My confidence and trust in the US government has reached an all time low of 0%.

 

I can't really think of any information regarding their dealings or actions or secrets that I would lose sleep over knowing.

 

I heard my grandfather say that the government has pretty much lied about everything from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, the Iraq war, and everything in between.

 

They keep the truth secret because the public would be outraged if they knew the whole truth regarding all these matters. And it wouldn't look very good for the government. This is why they keep secrets. And yes I do want to know what the hell is going on because I don't believe a damn word they tell me.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Chaosblade02

[Karasuman]

We don't want the truth! We can't handle the truth!

 

Honestly though, it's a lot like Tommy Lee Jones said in Men in Black when it comes to the government:

 

A person is smart. People on the other hand are collectively stupid and reckless. Releasing the truth about various matters from the past (whether it be wars, aliens or everything in between) might not disrupt your sleep based on the principle of what is being told to you...But the riots and other such happenings surely might.

 

And you know it would happen. If the American public knew everything (and I'm quite sure we don't know the half of it), sh*t would hit an industrial-sized ceiling fan. Hell, half the people here would simply use this info as an excuse to kill people and loot something. Sorry to say that a large number of people would not be ready to hear it all, even if they think they are.

 

Edit: As you may have been able to deduce, my faith in my fellow countrymen is...low. We have people using schools as firing ranges, religious zealots holding women hostage, and guys blowing up buildings with bombs. You really think this society has any of the stability of mind necessary to be told what the government is hiding? Get real.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Karasuman

[Balagor]

We don't want the truth! We can't handle the truth!

 

Honestly though, it's a lot like Tommy Lee Jones said in Men in Black when it comes to the government:

 

A person is smart. People on the other hand are collectively stupid and reckless. Releasing the truth about various matters from the past (whether it be wars, aliens or everything in between) might not disrupt your sleep based on the principle of what is being told to you...But the riots and other such happenings surely might.

 

And you know it would happen. If the American public knew everything (and I'm quite sure we don't know the half of it), sh*t would hit an industrial-sized ceiling fan. Hell, half the people here would simply use this info as an excuse to kill people and loot something. Sorry to say that a large number of people would not be ready to hear it all, even if they think they are.

 

Edit: As you may have been able to deduce, my faith in my fellow countrymen is...low. We have people using schools as firing ranges, religious zealots holding women hostage, and guys blowing up buildings with bombs. You really think this society has any of the stability of mind necessary to be told what the government is hiding? Get real.

 

Why all this violence over there in the U.S of A?

What secrets would be so unique that they would make people go banana? Why is the first thought allways something with looting and killing, and troops trying to fight both?

Why not look at it as an eye opener, to see "my God was it this bad"...... "it is about time we do something serious, and get a new gouvernment"

And was I to see secret notes about aliens, why should I start to loot and kill. The aliens are probably friendly, and if not, I would at least try to find the location for their landing, and see them, before they would kill me. So what on earth should I do with 50 lbs of beans?

[Karasuman]

 

 

Why all this violence over there in the U.S of A?

What secrets would be so unique that they would make people go banana? Why is the first thought allways something with looting and killing, and troops trying to fight both?

 

Because we have people that loot and destroy buildings over such things as a baseball team winning or losing a World Series. As such, I can't imagine what some of those monkeys would do if sensitive government information was released.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

Some things are classified for a good, justifiable reason. Some secrets are kept because they could do tremendous damage and cost people their lives if they are leaked out. We certainly don't want detailed plans of upcoming military operations being public knowledge; all it takes is one person who sympathizes with the enemy and all of a sudden our battle plans are being used to kill our soldiers. Likewise, we don't really want every person on earth to know how to create a thermonuclear weapon, or an incurable plague- even some things that aren't classified are certainly not safe in the public domain.

 

However...

 

The government, and by that I mean every government, has a habit of keeping secrets which, if leaked, would be beneficial to the public. We are not told, for instance, what is in upcoming legislation... sometimes not even after it has been passed. We are not told which countries our government is making deals and seeking alliances with, sometimes to the detriment of our economy, our other alliances, our citizens abroad... and sometimes the government keeps secrets because it has done something horribly, terribly wrong and does not wish the public to know for fear of the people imposing limits on its power. Sometimes things are done to reinforce the government's power and they are kept secret because the people would simply never stand for it if they knew. These are things that the people have a right to know, and which the government has no justifiable reason to keep secret. The affairs of the government with regards to the people, legislative, executive, and judicial acts which affect the people directly, should never be kept secret. They should be published by law in the interests of maintaining the standard of a government by the people, of the people, and for the people. To paraphrase a rather famous document, governments are instituted to serve the people, not to rule them.

 

In short, "National Security" is a phrase which is applied far too broadly, but it does have a proper application.

[Karasuman]

Kudos and well said.

[Chaosblade02]

"National Security" means security for the establishment, and its interests.

 

I know it sounds like I am throwing the US government under the bus. But things have gotten so far out of hand its just ridiculous.

 

Some of you aren't gonna like hearing this, but they need to start doing what works. Racial profiling as well as behavioral profiling. Its not little old ladies, or the soccer mom with her young kids that is posing a threat to safety. Its foreign citizens from the middle east. Searching everyone just to be politically correct and not offend Muslims is BULL****.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w05jJ5H2pbc&feature=player_embedded

Edited December 27, 2010 by Chaosblade02