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Thread: NSA Deletes “Honesty” and “Openness” From Core Values

  1. #1
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    Exclamation NSA Deletes “Honesty” and “Openness” From Core Values



    Source: The Intercept


    The National Security Agency maintains a page on its website that outlines its mission statement. But earlier this month, the agency made a discreet change: It removed “honesty” as its top priority.

    Since at least May 2016, the surveillance agency had featured honesty as the first of four “core values” listed on NSA.gov, alongside “respect for the law,” “integrity,” and “transparency.” The agency vowed on the site to “be truthful with each other.”

    On January 12, however, the NSA removed the mission statement page – which can still be viewed through the Internet Archive – and replaced it with a new version. Now, the parts about honesty and the pledge to be truthful have been deleted. The agency’s new top value is “commitment to service,” which it says means “excellence in the pursuit of our critical mission.”

    Those are not the only striking alterations. In its old core values, the NSA explained that it would strive to be deserving of the “great trust” placed in it by national leaders and American citizens. It said that it would “honor the public’s need for openness.” But those phrases are now gone; all references to “trust,” “honor,” and “openness” have disappeared.

    The agency previously stated on its website that it embraced transparency and claimed that all of its activities were aimed at “ensuring the safety, security, and liberty of our fellow citizens.” That has also been discarded. The agency still says it is committed to transparency on the updated website, but the transparency is now described as being for the benefit of “those who authorize and oversee NSA’s work on behalf of the American people.” The definition of “integrity” has been edited, too. The agency formerly said its commitment to integrity meant it would “behave honorably and apply good judgment.” The phrase “behave honorably” has now been dropped in favor of “communicating honestly and directly, acting ethically and fairly and carrying out our mission efficiently and effectively.”

    The new list of values includes the additions “respect for people” and “accountability.” But the section on respecting people is a reference to diversity within the NSA workforce, not a general commitment to members of the public. Accountability is defined as taking “responsibility for our decisions.” The one core value that remains essentially unchanged is “respect for the law,” which the agency says means it is “grounded in our adherence to the U.S. Constitution and compliance with the U.S. laws, regulations and policies that govern our activities.”

    In response to questions from The Intercept on Tuesday, the NSA played down the alterations. Thomas Groves, a spokesperson for the agency, said: “It’s nothing more than a website update, that’s all it is.”


    Source: The Intercept
    = DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR =

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    The mission statement change is just a website update, eh? Looks like they need a spokesperson update.

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    That's great, Dumpy. I hadn't seen that.

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    We former spooks are always throwing shade at each other. The NSA gnomes are an easy and deserved target. Trump can and should abolish these wankers.

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    He wants to use their power to see who voted for whom and who protested whom.

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    Quote Originally posted by Dumpster Diver View Post
    Priceless. Saved for posterity.
    = DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR =

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    Deservedly. I'll have one too!

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    Quote Originally posted by Dreamtimer View Post
    He wants to use their power to see who voted for whom and who protested whom.
    yeah, everyone wnts to use them instead of abolshing them. make 'em get real jobs flipping burgers.

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    What happened to "And the Truth Shall Make You Free?"

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    It seems to be a painful process, like ripping off a bandage. There's always a struggle with those who don't want the truth out.

    I personally know someone who is so concerned with image they have been telling a different life story than the one they really lived. They've done it for so long that they now believe the story and have literally forgotten the truth. But others haven't. And the truth catches up sooner or later. This person now is having some very unpleasant wake-up calls and is having to come out of the self-delusion. It's very difficult.

    There are no drugs or meds involved. Just pure self-delusion. This person practiced personally what many of our leaders do to us.

    Say something over and over again and people believe it's true.

    And reality catches up.

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    Quote Originally posted by Dreamtimer View Post
    [...] I personally know someone who is so concerned with image they have been telling a different life story than the one they really lived. [...]
    Believe it or not, but I've got a couple of ex-girlfriends like that, and I'm not kidding.

    Quote Originally posted by Dreamtimer View Post
    This person practiced personally what many of our leaders do to us.

    Say something over and over again and people believe it's true.

    And reality catches up.
    That's what Joseph Goebbels said, isn't it? "Repeat the lie long enough and it'll become the truth." Although I doubt whether he said it in English.
    = DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR =

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    Quote Originally posted by Aragorn View Post
    That's what Joseph Goebbels said, isn't it? "Repeat the lie long enough and it'll become the truth." Although I doubt whether he said it in English.
    Is it lost in translation?

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    Quote Originally posted by Elen View Post
    Quote Originally posted by Aragorn View Post
    That's what Joseph Goebbels said, isn't it? "Repeat the lie long enough and it'll become the truth." Although I doubt whether he said it in English.
    Is it lost in translation?
    I don't think so, but we could always ask Scibuster.
    = DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR =

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