An important point I think everyone is missing

[boston bean]

The US government and the UK, know about these documents.

They are the ones who created them.

They were leaked to a journalist.

No need for the gov't to have to find out what these persons are in possession of. They already know.

So the only reason for this harassment and trampling of rights is to intimidate.

[KittyWampus]

1. OMFG. Are you serious? Apparently some DU'ers are in the first stage of grief.

[boston bean]

2. huh, kitty?

why do you think they did what they did.

It was to further intimidate.

We are talking about journalists who were leaked info. You really think they ought to be criminalized and prosecuted?

[sabrina 1]

6. Well, aside from your sympathy for griefk-stricken DUers, what law, here or anywhere else, permits

detaining family members of journalists and STEALING their source material? Please enlighten us, because I haven't found that law yet. I have found plenty of laws that protect journalists, including the one issued by the USSC re The NYT in the Ellsberg case. That set a precedent here the last time the US Government abused its power and attempted to violate the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution which protects the press from over-reaching Governments.

We know your opinions on meta, but this is a political forum where people come to discuss Issues. So do you have any opinion on the question of the Government V Journalists, which is what this and the Wikileaks cases are all about??

[Bradical79]

11. That makes no sense

As opposed to the OP's post which is perfectly logical. Not seeing the problem with what he said. Maybe you should explain what you mean and try to engage in a civil conversation rather than write something insulting.

[frylock]

12. this was the poster bemoaning all the name-calling..

well, bemoaning being labeled as an authoritarian by all the "ratfucking paulite libertarians."

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. What I've been thinking about is -

What triggered Miranda's detention? What brought him to authorities attention at that moment? There are really only two possibilities: a security database that had him listed as a person of interest because he was the husband of Greenwald, or a phone call from "authorities" who had been following his actions and saw this as their opportunity to get their hands on him.

Either scenario is chilling.

[boston bean]

4. Great point. Hadn't thought of it that way.

chilling is almost an understatement.

[sabrina 1]

5. And aside from that, Greenwald is a journalist, he did not steal anything, they were provided to him

by a source. So now a precedent has been set. Journalists can expect to be detained as terrorists, along with their friends and family members on the excuse that the Government needs to access their source material.

That would be the end of Whistle Blowing and absolutely makes no sense under any law.

Journalists here are protected by the 1st Amendment. I'm not sure about the UK's laws on journalist protection yet.

But this is why the US uses 'proxies' to do their dirty work now, proxy armies, proxy puppet Governments like the UK who are becoming known around the world as nothing more than a puppet of the US and Wall St.

[Autumn]

8. Exactly. And that shoots down the stolen document bullshit

that is the meme of the day.

[sabrina 1]

9. Yes, but they are getting desperate so you have to forgive them for not thinking too deeply into

what they are rushing out to try to defend the indefensible. They are hoping, knowing I am sure, that what they are claiming is false, that some of it will stick. It's a system of 'throw everything at the wall and some of it will stick'. They are to assume that, as there are a few people who won't think much about the claims, and will be glad to cling to whatever they can to try to make themselves feel better about supporting what is so obviously wrong.

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. K&R! "Journalism is printing something someone doesn't want printed. Everything else

is public relations." -George Orwell

[NoMoreWarNow]

10. if they really about the documents, they would have detained Poitras or Greenwald by now

for that matter, why didn't the US try at all to get Snowden from the Moscow airport?

this detaining of Miranda is either part of a big act, or just an obnoxious attempt at intimidation.