James48843
TSP Talk Royalty
- Reaction score
- 569
Interesting watching the votes today on Tom's question of the day.
I say it's interesting because "treason" is a very narrowly defined term.
Tom asked in today's pol question:
And it looks like about 83% of folks taking the poll agree.
Which tells me we need to do a much better job of teaching about the U.S. Constitution.
The Constituion is the only document here which counts- because treason is the ONLY crime which is specified in the Constitution with a specific definition:
The Constitution tells is:
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted."
Yes, it is illegal to disclose classified information. But much of what classified information is disclosed from time to time doesn't meet the strict definition of treason in the U.S. Constitution. Unless the classified information is levying an act of war, or giving aid and comfort to the enemy, it may be illegal, but it isn't treason.
For example, up until last April, the formula for how we made INVISIBLE INK during World War I was a "CLASSIFIED SECRET" .
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/19/cia-world-war-one-documents-declassified_n_851281.html
Yes, it would be illegal to have disclosed that secret prior to the declassification. But it wasn't "treason" when the secret was disclosed long, long ago.
Interesting.
I say it's interesting because "treason" is a very narrowly defined term.
Tom asked in today's pol question:
Do you consider leaking or publishing classified intelligence documents an act of treason?
Yes
(83%)
No
(7%)
Not sure
(10%)
And it looks like about 83% of folks taking the poll agree.
Which tells me we need to do a much better job of teaching about the U.S. Constitution.
The Constituion is the only document here which counts- because treason is the ONLY crime which is specified in the Constitution with a specific definition:
The Constitution tells is:
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted."
Yes, it is illegal to disclose classified information. But much of what classified information is disclosed from time to time doesn't meet the strict definition of treason in the U.S. Constitution. Unless the classified information is levying an act of war, or giving aid and comfort to the enemy, it may be illegal, but it isn't treason.
For example, up until last April, the formula for how we made INVISIBLE INK during World War I was a "CLASSIFIED SECRET" .
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/19/cia-world-war-one-documents-declassified_n_851281.html
Yes, it would be illegal to have disclosed that secret prior to the declassification. But it wasn't "treason" when the secret was disclosed long, long ago.
Interesting.
