Journalists and Bloggers Under Assault by Bush

by Sean M. Madden
iNoodle.com (reprinted at PopulistAmerica.com)
August 20, 2008

Re: "NSA Security officer opined that journalists should be killed": the leader from a Wayne Madsen Report article entitled, "Journalists and bloggers under assault by Bush Gestapo" (August 19).

Dear Mr. Madsen,

I read of your report on the subject indicated above via Richard Volaar's commentary piece published on OpEdNews. I, therefore, tried to go to the source, but find that this article is only available to paid WMR subscribers. As a struggling writer myself I understand the need to earn a living from one's writing, and that a subscription-based service is perhaps the best available option for those of us whose writing is likely to be ignored by the mainstream media.

However, I also think that if such an NSA list of journalists and bloggers does exist as alleged -- particularly in the context of the one-line description included above on the WMR site, that is, in the context of a sentiment within the NSA that "journalists [and presumably bloggers given the headline] should be killed" -- well, it would seem to me that you would want to openly share such a list with the public.

This would help to expose the program to greater public scrutiny, help to publicize to society at large the dangers which are inherent within extralegal intelligence operations (and that perhaps we do not have a free press), and help to minimize the likelihood that such an assassination, or intimidation, program will or could occur.

Given the recent threats which have reportedly been made against Information Clearing House editor, Tom Feeley, and his family, it would seem that such a program may in fact be underway already.

Regardless, if such a list does exist and you have it in your possession, public interest would seem to warrant that you make the full list -- not only of particularly well-known journalists and bloggers -- publicly and freely available.

Thank you for your consideration.