Declan McCullagh On Geek Activism

die_jack_die writes "Declan McCullagh, formerly of Wired News, lately at News.com, has written an insightful piece about the realities of geek activism. Short version: spend your time coding, not lobbying. (You might also want to check out Politech , his mailing list for this sort of stuff.)" This in contrast to Lessigs call for more lobbying.

Re:VOTE DEMOCRAT!

[Anonymous Coward]

Dumbass!!! It was Clinton that signed the DMCA into existance. Get a fucking clue!!

Re:Correction...

[kyras]

This guy is an embarressment to the profession of "web journalist", which is saying a lot in a world of Matt Drudges. I wonder if Declan would ever protect a source. Would he refuse a request from police? Would he refuse a subpoena? Would he go to prison to protect a source?

I doubt it. Why? Because he's a coward.

Actually, au contraire, he has answered to a subpoena before (last year) and then gone on the stand to protect a source, being treated as a hostile witness in the process (though luckily for him, not jailed). Check out his website, the whole story is there [mccullagh.org]. Better check the facts before you next try to make an ad hominem attack.

Re:Correction...

[crapulent]

I wonder if Declan would ever protect a source. Would he refuse a request from police? Would he refuse a subpoena? Would he go to prison to protect a source?

I doubt it. Why? Because he's a coward.


Uhh, he did refuse a subpoena when he was called to testify in the Jim Bell case a year ago or so. They wanted him to verify statements that Bell had made to him in his coverage of the story, but he refused because it would give too much leeway to potentially enter things into the record that were spoken to him in confidence. A direct quote:

"I talk to a lot of people who don't trust the government, and I don't want my sources to wonder who I'm working for -- Wired News or the government."

How 'boutcha get a clue before calling people cowards, mm'kay?