Re:GCHQ can monitor MPs' communications, court rules
by mikecb on Thursday October 15, 2015 @07:33AM
(#10392514)
This quote is taken egregiously out of context.[1] You could still say its a nice quote, but its power comes from an appeal to authority, in this case, a founding father, and despite the fallacy inherent in such a tactic, the extent to which it does not apply to the liberties we talk about today suggest we could do much better than to bring it up every time.
[1] https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-ben-franklin-really-said
Re:GCHQ can monitor MPs' communications, court rules
by PythonicAlpha on Thursday October 15, 2015 @07:51AM
(#10392570)
Benjamin Franklin, being a big man, but still a human. We must not think, that he could comprehend our future problems.
Of course he did only talk about his current problems.
Still it is a very good quote that deserves to be seen not only in it's singular, historical meaning, but also in a wider look.
And as we see, we all need a broader look to preserve humanity -- or freedom and humanity will finally perish.
Re:GCHQ can monitor MPs' communications, court rules
by mikecb on Thursday October 15, 2015 @09:41AM
(#10393042)
Exactly what I said, just don't attribute it to Ben Franklin.
Re:GCHQ can monitor MPs' communications, court rules
by togusa on Thursday October 15, 2015 @07:31AM
(#10392509)
Err but old Ben's quote is invalid here. We didn't surrender, nor did we vote for this, nor did we want this, nor did we expect this, nor do we have any power to stop it or prevent it from being introduced.
Re:GCHQ can monitor MPs' communications, court rules
by PythonicAlpha on Thursday October 15, 2015 @07:52AM
(#10392571)
In this case, the British surrendered -- and all free nations are about doing it also.
Re:GCHQ can monitor MPs' communications, court rules
by togusa on Thursday October 15, 2015 @08:57AM
(#10392826)
Britain doesn't surrender. It just wallows in indifference ignoring laws and then promptly loses its shit when something is inconvenient.
Re:GCHQ can monitor MPs' communications, court rules
by PythonicAlpha on Thursday October 15, 2015 @07:12AM
(#10392457)
Right. They just reap, what they have sowed.
Maybe, some of them might begin to realize what they have done ... but I doubt it.
“Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
― Benjamin Franklin