Poll: Americans say WikiLeaks harmed public interest; most want Assange arrested

Poll: Americans say WikiLeaks harmed public interest; most want Assange arrested

www.washingtonpost.com

The American public is highly critical of the recent release of confidential U.S. diplomatic cables on the WikiLeaks Web site and would support the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange by U.S. authorities, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds.

Most of those polled - 68 percent - say the WikiLeaks' exposure of government documents about the State Department and U.S. diplomacy harms the public interest. Nearly as many - 59 percent - say the U.S. government should arrest Assange and c

(visit the link for the full news article)

This poll is showing that those over 30 think that these leaks are bad for us and our government and that Assage should be arrested. With the younger folks thinking he should be left alone....

How does ATS feel about this topic?

I Agree with S Dog that they [wikileaks]are fighting to keep government honest and the government is fighting for the continued right to lie to us.

I think the poll is a clear indication of what a life time of programing can accomplish.

How do you all feel?

www.washingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Speaking as someone over 35, there are other more sensible ways to keep govt honest than blindly releasing sensitive information to the world without even considering or caring for the repercussions

I have not been "Programmed" and neither have those over 30 in the poll. Apparently those over thirty have too much wisdom, foresight, integrity and common sense for the WL crowd and cyberhackers to comprehend.

Personally, I think Assange is being used as a tool to lure the supporters and hackers out of their proverbial basements. The spotlight is now shining brightly on all of them and their actions will result in a worldwide internet transformation that you thought you would never see in your lifetime. Thanks

There is plenty of money to be made and power to be taken by the worlds powers when the hammer falls on the internet.

How many of those "68%" are former hippies?

Hypocristy.

Leave it to the ignorant boomers to mess things up.

Noam Chomsky believes that a disturbing amount of Americans want him dead. Poor Form!

Interview Here (Mp3):
blogs.abc.net.au...

IRM

Guys, I don't wanna be the one to say this, but I think we've been played. And not like, some soft play, like trying to get us to give them a dollar, more like the hardcore played. To me, this all seems like a easy way to sift through and find those opposed to the gov. We have been played.
So, how long till the viewers of these cables find themselves in trouble with the law?

Good luck, can't wait.

Originally posted by The Sword
How many of those "68%" are former hippies?

Hypocristy.

Leave it to the ignorant boomers to mess things up.

You most likely wouldn't even be breathing without those "ignorant" boomers.
They know more than you think. Just because someone does not hide behind a keyboard does not make them ignorant. Plenty of "ignorant boomers" marching on DC over the past couple of years to get their point across.

They know of the corruption and lies within our political system because they have all seen it slide downhill right before their eyes.

Once again, I guess the "ignorant" ones have too much wisdom.

Be careful where you are pointing that finger and remember how many are pointing back at the true ignorance.

Originally posted by Myendica
Guys, I don't wanna be the one to say this, but I think we've been played. And not like, some soft play, like trying to get us to give them a dollar, more like the hardcore played. To me, this all seems like a easy way to sift through and find those opposed to the gov. We have been played.
So, how long till the viewers of these cables find themselves in trouble with the law?

Good luck, can't wait.

Nice to see that someone gets it.

*scratches head*

Now see, this is where it simply does not make sense.. the UKs media is almost pushing the "Wikileaks = Good" agenda, and even the Gov seems to be sprouting the same line ( UK Justice secretary saying the leaks where of "genuine public concern" and "although harmful - not illegal" ) while at the same time pushing the line that protest = bad.. naughty naughty protesters.

Given how everything wikileaks is on tap for the UK media, one has to wonder if this is not done to distract Europe from protest (remind me which media outlets gained the cables directly).. well, if I had my tin foil hat on I might come to such a conclusion given the disparity in reporting, the contents of the cables and the timeline in which they are being released.

reply to post by LDragonFire


The first thing that comes to my mind, maybe from hanging around ATS for so long, is that this may be propaganda. With all of the lies, backroom dealings, and misinformation shown by the release of various cables, how much of a stretch is it really to think that TPTB may have their hands into polling companies. How hard would it be, really, for them to fabricate a poll. How would we, the people, ever be able to say for certain wether or not the poll was made up and being used to sway public opinion? I tend to take polls with a grain of salt and try to make up my own mind when it come to Wikileaks and Assange. IMHO, I think that what Wilileaks is doing is important and needs to be done. The MSM no longer pushes for truth, that is obvious if you follow it. They only report what they are told to report. I don't see many journalists out there these days that push the envelope. They are more interested in chasing movie stars and reporting what they had for breakfast. Therefore, we need somebody who is willing to put their own lives on the line to let the truth out there. It would be different if it was shown that these cables are not trust worthy, but I have not seen anything like that yet. So....if it's true, if it exposes the criminals, the corruption, the greed, that seems inherent throughout government and financial institutions, then I am all for it!!!

Originally posted by jibeho

You most likely wouldn't even be breathing without those "ignorant" boomers.
They know more than you think. Just because someone does not hide behind a keyboard does not make them ignorant. Plenty of "ignorant boomers" marching on DC over the past couple of years to get their point across.

At least you can see we have problems.

They know of the corruption and lies within our political system because they have all seen it slide downhill right before their eyes.

Yet they did nothing and it seems still wish to do nothing. Its the younger generation that will have to deal with the boomers inaction. The boomers have so much to give the younger generation, empire, war, debt, authoritarianism, pollution, and the list can go on here.

Once again, I guess the "ignorant" ones have too much wisdom.

Be careful where you are pointing that finger and remember how many are pointing back at the true ignorance.

Agreed!

So i see the fluoride,aspartame and tv propaganda is still working good in some areas

Originally posted by bigjib

how much of a stretch is it really to think that TPTB may have their hands into polling companies. How hard would it be, really, for them to fabricate a poll. How would we, the people, ever be able to say for certain wether or not the poll was made up and being used to sway public opinion? I tend to take polls with a grain of salt and try to make up my own mind when it come to Wikileaks and Assange.

Indeed! People need to desperately exercise independent thinking. Unfortunately most choose the path of least resistance which is to simply move with the flock.

IRM

And this proves what exactly?

Americans think EXACTLY what the TV tells them, NOTHING ELSE.

(this is not a new thing!!)

The poll was conducted Dec. 9 to 12 among a random national sample of 1,001 adults.

1,001 adults or 1,001/232,000,000 percent of adults were polled. Not very statistically significant if you ask me but at least it gives them something to write about.

ETA: To be more precise.

Ya see, this is not a simple black and white situation.

In one way, I agree with JA's right to freedom of press, but with that right comes responsibility to the public as to what damage might be caused by the release of certain information through destabalisation of government relations and the safety of armed forces personnel.

However, here's where it gets even more complicated, because it could be argued that if the governments were't hiding so many dangerous secrets, some of which have the potential to affect us all in our daily lives, including our overall political views and opinions, then there would be no dangers there in the first place and that JA would not feel the need to uncover and publish said secrets in order to educate the masses as to what type of people they have in charge.

It's a tricky one, but I think that my belief in the democratic freedom of press wins out on this one.

Nik

Hypocritical Americans.

After the Watergate scandal - published by the NYT and written up by Lennard Bernstien and Bob Woodward it was the US Parliament who introduced laws guaranteeing freedom of the press to publish such secrets f they are leaked too them.

Assange didn't steal them, and publishing them isn't against the law.

Those who suggest publicly that he should be targeted for assassinated (Sarah Pailin for one) should be arrested for conspiracy to incite murder - that IS a crime in the USA!.

Those who say he should be arrested and tried for treason don't seem to realize that you have to be a citizen of the USA to commit treason (that's why Obama will get away with his crimes). LOL

It's quite illuminating to see just how ill informed and uneducated the supposed leaders of that once great nation have become.

It appears to the rest of the world to be a nation of fools ( who can't steward their secrets properly) being led by a bunch of fools.

I guess therefore such foolish statements should be expected.

Cheers

reply to post by nik1halo


It isn't in the least bit complicated. Transparency, public servants, in fact, through out the system and have jury duty citizens half female and half male and councils, not any one person, not a pryamid.

100% behind wikileaks and 100% not behind the leaders. Its really clear and cut and dried. The issues would remain the same if he was doing an assisngment, the issues are the same no matter who he is, or anyone else, they're still very clear.

reply to post by Unity_99


So, you don't believe that an independent free press should have some responsibility for the repercussions of information reported to the public?

With great power comes great responsibility (no spiderman jokes please).

I don't believe that Wikileaks are breaking any laws and agree with what they are doing, but I do believe that their attitude has been a little cavalier in the propagation of the act itself.

If you really think this is a simple, clear cut case, then you fail to see the bigger picture my friend.

Originally posted by LDragonFire
I think the poll is a clear indication of what a life time of programing can accomplish.
How do you all feel?

I think the poll is a clear indication that common sense is still out there.

Assange is not helping at all. He's being a NWO tool. This isn't openess and transparancey. This is an attack against diplomacy and an attempt for him to get a big name for himself. The NWO used this as a chess move .. to destabilize diplomacy so they could come in and get more power. Assange is either a stupid tool who doesn't know anybetter, or he knows and doesn't care because he's going to get $$$ from anarchists who will buy the book he'll eventually write and who, themselves, don't know anybetter.