too many secrets

June 18, 2007 10:53 AM

Congress has never acted to codify the state secrets privilege. It considered doing so in the 1970s but specifically chose not to include the privilege in the federal rules of evidence. Nonetheless, dating from its application in the Reynolds case, the state secrets privilege has been repeatedly invoked, often with disturbing results. This is why we, in cooperation with the Constitution Project, have joined with a bipartisan coalition of policy experts, legal scholars and former government officials in calling on Congress to limit the privilege's use PDF. (WaPo)

Case Studies in State Secrets from Federation of American Scientists
Dangerous Discretion: State Secrets and the El-Masri Rendition Case
posted by anotherpanacea (12 comments total)

more about Sibel Edmonds here--Just a Citizen

It's like we've become the USSR in so many ways now--from gulags and secret prisons all over and torture to this gagging of people with information that differs from the official line to Plame....
posted by amberglow at 10:58 AM on June 18, 2007

Well, good luck with that.
posted by tadellin at 11:23 AM on June 18, 2007

I agree with tadellin--a journey of a thousand miles begins with giving up.
posted by DU at 11:24 AM on June 18, 2007 [3 favorites]

Dog bless the FAS! Sibel Edmonds discussing the official secrets act here.
posted by ahimsakid at 11:49 AM on June 18, 2007

It's like we've become the USSR in so many ways now
shutters[

not quite, not really, not even close but I see your point.
if they were so secret how come we know about them...of course the SOVS knew of secret citites with no name and gulags up the yin but noone dared ASK...we do, because we can. wiether anything changes is a differant matter.

alot of the "loss" of liberties were explaineed in many books before 9/11. basically i agree knowing that we can take our rights back if need be, like if massive arrests took place etc.

I hear the worry but i remember that we are americans and can fight back as we (everyone has) from protests to congressional change the system is still alive be it creaky.

(hey AG:)
posted by clavdivs at 12:42 PM on June 18, 2007

basically i agree knowing that we can take our rights back if need be, like if massive arrests took place etc.

I'm not so sure...the media wouldn't cover it, or they would actually spin it in favor of "protecting us from terrorists" or something, as they have been doing. We had massive detentions and arrests that were all illegal in 04 here with the GOP Convention, and massive and illegal and extensive spying beforehand, and no one did anything at all. We all found out after the fact, and the people crammed into the warehouses on the docks didn't even make the national news.
posted by amberglow at 4:48 PM on June 18, 2007

and hiya clav--where have you been? : >
posted by amberglow at 4:49 PM on June 18, 2007

None of the people here have been able to really tell their stories to the country or testify about what they knew--all because the govt won't let them. How is that America?
posted by amberglow at 4:50 PM on June 18, 2007

see, your holding human rights to something being "America"
there is no America.
posted by clavdivs at 10:11 AM on June 19, 2007

I'm holding our own First Amendment, and other laws and rights to it.
posted by amberglow at 11:37 AM on June 19, 2007

and, of course, simple human decency and justice.
posted by amberglow at 11:38 AM on June 19, 2007

Democracy's chance to spring eternal
posted by amberglow at 4:25 PM on June 20, 2007