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Comment by nhebb | Hacker News Reader

Leon Panetta leaked classified info to the makers of Zero Dark Thirty, and there were no repercussions (hell, he even got promoted to Secretary of Defense). I really doubt there would have been repercussions if Udall had leaked this information. While I'm glad that Udall is fighting for civil liberties, this doesn't exactly seem like material fit for an updated version of Profiles in Courage.

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The idea of the Panetta leaks were to promote a positive view of the US war on terror.

Speaking of Zero Dark Thirty: I always wondered about the relation between its director Kathryn Bigelow and Robert Bigelow. Is there a connection?

So? The seemingly random enforcement of laws is a hallmark of dictatorships.

Only insofar as it is the hallmark of government.

  A walrus eats food. Obama eats food. Obama is
  therefore a walrus.

Can you find the flaw in this logic?

no, but I can find the flaw in your analogy.

  Your neighbor committed a crime. Hitler committed
  a crime. Your neighbor is literally Hitler.

This is your analogy.

I'm responding to someone that was indirectly saying:

  - Dictatorships randomly enforce laws.
  - The US Government is randomly enforcing laws.
  - The US Government is therefore a dictatorship.

The US is acting dictatorial.

So...

  - A walrus eats food.
  - Obama eats food.
  - Obama is acting like a walrus.

The real issue is that the idea that only dictatorships have some selective enforcement of laws is unsubstantiated.

So...

- A grocer who uses plastic bags within the city of Seattle is breaking the law

- A mass murderer is breaking the law

- A mass murderer is acting like a grocer who uses plastic bags within the city of Seattle

Magnitude matters.

Oh god, so he is a walrus..

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