Obama CIA pick: Too much freedom not enough censorship

[_bcspace]

In his 1980 graduate thesis at the University of Texas at Austin, John Brennan denied the existence of “absolute human rights” and argued in favor of censorship on the part of the Egyptian dictatorship.

“Since the press can play such an influential role in determining the perceptions of the masses, I am in favor of some degree of government censorship,” Brennan wrote. “Inflamatory [sic] articles can provoke mass opposition and possible violence, especially in developing political systems.”

Brennan serves as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser. Obama has nominated him to lead the Central Intelligence Agency.

Central to Brennan’s presentation was a relativist view of human rights, which he said include “security, welfare, liberty, and justice.”

“These four rights reflect not only my own moral concept of human rights [but] also my interpretation of the Western human rights perspective,” Brennan wrote in his introduction.

“I don’t feel that the possible forfeiture of rights under certain circumstances precludes their inalienability.”

Brennan ultimately concluded that human rights do not exist because they cannot be “classified as universal.”

http://dailycaller.com/2013/01/23/in-graduate-thesis-john-brennan-argued-for-government-censorship-too-much-freedom-is-possible/

[_krose]

That's really something, that they have to go back 33 years for smear material.

I hope nobody judges me by what I was saying in 1980. I'm ashamed to admit that I was supporting Ronald Reagan and Orrin freaking Hatch that year, while writing economics papers about how evil the Social Security system and the national minimum wage were. Thank Thor I grew out of that awkward phase.

As for Brennan, his association with unlawful detention and "enhanced interrogation" is enough to make me suspicious of him.

It pains me how much Obama has continued to follow the path of Bush Jr., at some points even taking it to a new level.

[_Brackite]

Thread: Rand Paul filibustering John Brennan nomination

[_Brackite]

From The Washington Post:

John Brennan’s confirmation: How they voted

...

John Brennan was confirmed as the new director of the CIA on Thursday, despite some bipartisan opposition.

Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) joined with 31 Republicans in voting against Brennan’s nomination. All have expressed concerns about the Obama Administration’s drone program.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the lone Democrat who joined in Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) 13-hour talking filibuster against Brennan on Wednesday, was one of 63 senators who voted for Brennan.

Paul had suggested after having his concerns over the drone program satisfied that he might actually support Brennan, but he voted no.

Thirteen Republicans wound up voting for Brennan, including five members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Among the most notable were Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.).