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Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

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Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#141

Post by cheeko1234 »

stirfrykitty wrote: post #135
atomi wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're attempting to keep facts from becoming public knowledge you are acting against the public good.

This reminds me of the notion of "samizdat" during the cold war times, but still happening now in various countries, particularly China, Vietnam, North Korea, et al. The people in control want zero accountability despite what they may say. Power corrupts people and once they experience it, they want more. I know people from China, and they, to a person, say where they came from is a hideous form of life. They could s…

Any sources on the bounty statement?

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#142

Post by calvinbhai »

Based on what I see, it looks like the US Govt is keeping tabs on those persons (journalists) who are sympathetic to the cause of of a group of people (the caravans) intending to breach the country border.

How is this intimidation? Isn't this "Keeping borders safe 101" ?

(I'm a legal temp immigrant in the US, and I have a hard time understanding why some things are news in this country).

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#143

Post by ratsmack »

rickbutton wrote: post #139
ratsmack wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> encouraged violence against the press at his rallies Could you give a specific example of this?

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/donald-trump-incitement-vi... ^ videos of Trump encouraging violence

That had nothing to do with journalists and was specifically about protesters who attempted to disrupt a rally.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#144

Post by wallace_f »

FlatSunSociety wrote: post #83
wallace_f wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's terrifying. Free speech should not be infringed upon. This is obviously happening more and more. High profile cases like journalists and activists caught up in association with Snowden, like Greenwald, Poitras and Lavabit's founder... Are probably known to most here. But I wonder if most are aware even a journalist covering the dakota pipeline protests was detained by the US government(1). 1- https://www.nytimes…

Terrible indeed, I didn't know of this case, thanks for sharing. Regarding the caravan case you can at least try to bury it under international politics/border security. But to detain a journalist that has been covering Dakota pipeline is restricting the freedom of speech for pure economical reasons.

I think they tried some vague excuse that had something to do with him having travelled to the Middle East in the past.

So if you want to retain your civil rights in America, you either can't cover protests, or can't travel to the Middle East. Or both.

Anyways, who on earth is downvoting my parent comment??

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#145

Post by tdb7893 »

calvinbhai wrote: post #142

Based on what I see, it looks like the US Govt is keeping tabs on those persons (journalists) who are sympathetic to the cause of of a group of people (the caravans) intending to breach the country border. How is this intimidation? Isn't this "Keeping borders safe 101" ? (I'm a legal temp immigrant in the US, and I have a hard time understanding why some things are news in this country).

Being sympathetic isn't a crime. Also covering things as a journalist not only isn't a crime but also is protected in many forms by the Constitution. Americans are very very very touchy about possible freedom of speech and freedom of the press violations.

I'm not sure what crime these journalists are going to commit that makes us need to track them.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#146

Post by dragonwriter »

calvinbhai wrote: post #142

Based on what I see, it looks like the US Govt is keeping tabs on those persons (journalists) who are sympathetic to the cause of of a group of people (the caravans) intending to breach the country border. How is this intimidation? Isn't this "Keeping borders safe 101" ? (I'm a legal temp immigrant in the US, and I have a hard time understanding why some things are news in this country).

> Based on what I see, it looks like the US Govt is keeping tabs on those persons (journalists) who are sympathetic to the cause of of a group of people (the caravans) intending to breach the country border.

The caravans are lawful asylum seekers that are only crossing at non recognized points because the administration has taken active and dubiously legal efforts to forcibly prevent them from reaching and applying for asylum at regular ports of entry, going so far as to close ports if entry and fire chemical weapons across an international border for that purpose.

Not that being sympathetic to them would be problematic even if that wasn't the case.

> I'm a legal temp immigrant in the US

No, you aren't. Immigrants are permanent. You can be a legal immigrant or a legal temporary worker or visitor, but you can't be a legal temporary immigrant.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#147

Post by stirfrykitty »

cheeko1234 wrote: post #141
stirfrykitty wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This reminds me of the notion of "samizdat" during the cold war times, but still happening now in various countries, particularly China, Vietnam, North Korea, et al. The people in control want zero accountability despite what they may say. Power corrupts people and once they experience it, they want more. I know people from China, and they, to a person, say where they came from is a hideous form of life. They could s…

Any sources on the bounty statement?

https://www.inquisitr.com/5165845/china-to-give-cash-rewards...

https://nextshark.com/china-porn-rewards-citizens/

And official Chinese state report (run translator) http://www.shdf.gov.cn/shdf/contents/767/388903.html

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#148

Post by Zebfross »

whatshisface wrote: post #67
Zebfross wrote: post #65

Crossing the border illegally is a crime and there has been violence on top of that. I don't see a problem with investigating and tracking those who are aiding and abetting.

Reporting isn't aiding, for all you know there could be some conservative journalists out there.

The article says they were marked for aiding the migrants. Obviously we don't know the details of what they were doing, but it doesn't sound like just journalism.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#149

Post by thinkcontext »

meowface wrote: post #119
wbg34 wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A quote from the official statement from the Customs and Border Patrol. It was also in the article. "CBP told our colleagues at NBC News that the names in the database are all people who were present during violence that broke out at the border in November. The agency also said journalists are being tracked so that the agency can learn more about what started that violence."

This doesn't make much sense. They would just interview the journalists after the event, and maybe do some follow-up interviews with a few. They wouldn't tag their passports for increased screenings, interrogate them at every border crossing, etc. They're treating the journalists like they helped organize the violence. To me it just seems like a way to harass and disrupt journalists trying to closely cover the story.

Don't forget the part about going through their devices.

Re: Leaked Documents Show the U.S. Tracking Journalists Through a Secret Database

#150

Post by tropo »

dragonwriter wrote: post #146
calvinbhai wrote: post #142

Based on what I see, it looks like the US Govt is keeping tabs on those persons (journalists) who are sympathetic to the cause of of a group of people (the caravans) intending to breach the country border. How is this intimidation? Isn't this "Keeping borders safe 101" ? (I'm a legal temp immigrant in the US, and I have a hard time understanding why some things are news in this country).

> Based on what I see, it looks like the US Govt is keeping tabs on those persons (journalists) who are sympathetic to the cause of of a group of people (the caravans) intending to breach the country border. The caravans are lawful asylum seekers that are only crossing at non recognized points because the administration has taken active and dubiously legal efforts to forcibly prevent them from reaching and applying f…

International treaties covering asylum seekers require that they apply for asylum in the first safe country. Mexico might not be the most wonderful place, but it is considered a safe country. (the government is not genocidal) It is therefore impossible for a legitimate asylum seeker in the US to have passed through Mexico.
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