# Bush and Ashcroft want an "Official Secrets" act

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-and-ashcroft-want-an-official-secrets-act/204050
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [September 26, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-and-ashcroft-want-an-official-secrets-act/204050 "2003-09-26T21:50:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![errata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/839c29/32.png) [@errata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/errata)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-and-ashcroft-want-an-official-secrets-act/204050/21 "2003-09-27T18:43:45Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by manhattan \*  
> If some guy leaked to the papers that the DEA had you in a file for people who are suspicious, you’d go nuts! Even though that is also a true statement. You’d demand the guy go to jail. He _should_ go to jail. His motivation is irrelevant.

Umm no actually, I wouldn’t go nuts. Now if they _didn’t_ actually have a file on me, that would be a different story.

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> This isn’t the Pentagon Papers, this is a guy who leaked private freaking information about a private freaking citizen which information was used to slur the citizen despite the absence of proof. This is exactly what scares people about the government’s information gathering and it should.

What I would be worried about is whether the government had grounds to investigate in the first place. If one of my congressmen was under investigation for any significant crime, I would want to know. If one lives in the public eye, certain consequences should be expected.

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> If there wasn’t a specific law to get this guy, there should be.

This is where we might agree.

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> And if it took a technicality to jail him, I’m all for it.

This is where we definitely don’t agree.

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> And **errata** information has value. I’m in the information business. Steal my info and I’ll expect the government to prosecute you for it.

One you’re not the government, two not all information should be kept private.

I’m aware of the value of information. Not all of it is monetary. Sometimes it can lead to unmeasurable value to the public good.

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> Morison should have been put to death for releasing those photos.

Wow. I thought you were making some sense for a while. Would you like a hanky for that foam on your mouth?

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