Posted on Aug 6, 2014
Should people who have a deeply held belief against government secrecy be allowed to hold a security clearance?
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I went to TARP (Threat Awareness and Reporting Program) training today and it was the same set of slides as 3 years ago. It is all about "Insider Threat," but not a word about Manning or Snowden. They talked about people who express extremist religious beliefs or an allegiance to another nation as being potential threats, but why wouldn't the belief that the government shouldn't keep secrets from the public also be a threat? If you have renewed your clearance in the last two years, you will notice that there is now a whole section that asks about "unauthorized computer access" (hacking), but nothing about beliefs. In my opinion, the belief system is more of an indicator, but there is not one question about it. What do you think? Should the belief that the government should not keep secrets from the public be a reason to deny/revoke a security clearance?
Security Clearance
Cyber
Threat
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 61
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No clearance. We need to stop being PC about these idiotic views that are completely incompatible with being trusted with protecting vulnerable information. As a member of the intelligence community, I know why this information is protected. Everyone know what OPSEC is, right? What do you think "holding government secrets from the American Public" IS? You think we could just let all Americans know what we are up to and none of the enemies of the United States would find out? That is ridiculous.
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1SG (Join to see)
Sad thing is, that while most people worry about these types of threats, our enemies continue to attack is a multitude of ways through other means (cyber) which can and do make this irrelevant in most cases. Yes, we are adjusting to take this head on, but Non-PC vetting of people for receiving/maintaining clearances and a major increase in cyber awareness would be a major step in the right direction. We have to stop being so dang complacent, lazy, and PC!!!
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Before there was Manning or Snowden, there was John Anthony Walker. I can more readily understand Walker's motivation, money, than I could ever understand betraying my country because I do not believe it should keep secrets. All of them are lowlifes and not worth my time, but since you asked, no clearance to anyone who does not believe our country should have secrets.
There are some things the average person just does not need to know. That being said, it also is necessary to keep some things from our enemies; not all countries are friendly to the interests of the USA. I know that is hard to believe.
As a person who worked in Communications and Radar Systems for Surface Ships, Submarines, and Aviation, I had a clearance. I am still amazed to see some of the systems I worked on and was in the development process on, being released for public information. It causes me some concern every time I see these systems in the news, they were so highly classified when I last worked on them. Even my wife had no idea of what I did at times; she had no need to know.
There are some things the average person just does not need to know. That being said, it also is necessary to keep some things from our enemies; not all countries are friendly to the interests of the USA. I know that is hard to believe.
As a person who worked in Communications and Radar Systems for Surface Ships, Submarines, and Aviation, I had a clearance. I am still amazed to see some of the systems I worked on and was in the development process on, being released for public information. It causes me some concern every time I see these systems in the news, they were so highly classified when I last worked on them. Even my wife had no idea of what I did at times; she had no need to know.
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I will probably be termed a "Kool-Aid" consumer for my views, but I believe that the government should have some secrets and that us as citizens should just get over it. I also feel that if you as an individual do not support that view then, in my opinion, you should not be trusted to have a clearance that allows you to have access to or be able to view even Confidential items. But again, that is just my opinion of this subject.
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1LT Shawn McCarthy
We are too worried about being accused of being culturally insensitive or politically correct.
Targeting a muslim man could have you labeled as either, regardless of the facts behind your case.
Targeting a muslim man could have you labeled as either, regardless of the facts behind your case.
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