Ellsberg: Exposing wrongdoing is worth going to jail

[sabra]

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/politics/13622395.htm

Ellsberg: Exposing wrongdoing is worth going to jail

Associated Press

PALM DESERT, Calif. - Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers 35 years ago, said Friday that whistleblowers shouldn't be afraid to reveal government secrets in an effort to save people's lives, even if it means going to jail.

"Don't do what I did," Ellsberg said. "Don't wait until the bombs are falling in Iran. Don't wait until people are dying. Go to the press and reveal."

Ellsberg told the American Bar Association's Forum on Communications Law that he waited nearly two years before handing over the top secret study of the Vietnam War to The New York Times in 1971.

"I wasted 22 months," he said, advising others planning to leak materials to "take your risks and go to prison if it means saving lives."

[FreedomAngel82]

1. I hope someone does listen

[understandinglife]

2. K&R. A truly GREAT American patriot - Daniel Ellsberg.

Peace.

[TahitiNut]

3. Mr. Ellsberg voices a precept - a moral imperative of civil disobedience

... that is at the very foundation of a free society. People in a free society must be free to break the law and face a trial in front of a jury of their peers. Jury nullification is how a democracy can deal with rightful acts that run afoul of legalisms that cover up wrongful behavior. We must never equate 'law' with 'morality' lest we become slaves. Law can never become a substitute for conscience, or a means of imposing our personal sense of morality on others!

[Sacajawea]

4. He wrote a powerful Op-Ed piece for the NYT on 9/28/04.

It's called "Truths Worth Telling." As I recall, in the article he appeals to SOMEONE to leak SOMETHING before the election so as to try to thwart the "re-election" of the Moran-in-Chief. His words were quite eloquent and I remember fervently hoping that someone would step up to the plate.

[lyonn]

5. Now days whistle blowers get no attention

and plenty of ridicule and threats of court action or they are thrown out of court. We have memos, CIA, FBI, all types coming out with info and it is "discussed" on the evening news like it was another missing person that's cute.

[meow2u3]

7. It's the "snitches get stitches" mentality

Only criminals who have something to hide would hate whistleblowers.

[Cults4Bush]

6. Ellsberg stands with Cindy!!

I love this guy really really love him.

[greiner3]

8. I had the PP'ers in my hand once;

Maybe it's a good time to finally read the book!