Steganography, My Ass: The Dangers of Private and Self-Censorship

[Nomen Nescio]

Declan McCullagh writes:
> I always enjoy Jonathan's essays, and this one is no exception. He
> properly points out the disturbing analogy that Attorney General
> Ashcroft seems to make (http://www.politechbot.com/p-02900.html)
> between criticism and treason.

What Ashcroft actually said, from the URL above, was:

> We need honest, reasoned debate; not fearmongering. To those who
> pit Americans against immigrants, and citizens against non-citizens;
> to those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty;
> my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists - for they erode
> our national unity and diminish our resolve. They give ammunition to
> America's enemies, and pause to America's friends. They encourage people
> of good will to remain silent in the face of evil.

The simple fact is that Ashcroft spoke the truth.  Such criticisms
do erode national unity and diminish resolve.  In fact, most critics
would fully agree with these goals.  Unity and resolve on a national
level scare civil libertarians.  A unified nation is a rash nation.
Democracies should be thoughtful, their actions carefully considered
and taken only after due deliberation.  Having a thousand voices urging
different courses is far safer than a single voice which all obey.

Some claim that behind the truth of Ashcroft's words is a veiled threat.
Aiding national enemies is indeed one of the definitions of treason.
Yet in the larger sense such a reading is plainly absurd.  No Attorney
General would ever attempt to make the case that criticising government
policy is treasonous and should be forbidden.  Hard as it may be for
the present audience, blinded by their ideology, to see the real world
for what it is, any such attempt would be political suicide.

Given this reality, there is clearly no real threat in Ashcroft's
statement.  Instead the critics are intentionally misreading him in
order to accomplish exactly those goals he mentions: to sow disunity
and weaken resolve.  It is nothing more than a rhetorical trick.

Let us hold to the truth.  Ashcroft is right in his characterization of
his critics' goals, and his critics are right to try to achieve those
goals.  It is misguided to attack Ashcroft by making the false claim
that he views criticism as treason.  Instead, critics should attack his
position that national unity and resolve must be preserved.  This would
be a substantive debate which would enlighten the American public and
raise awareness of important issues.  Unfortunately the critics have
descended into politically motivated mud-slinging and have deprived
Americans of a valuable opportunity.