Cleared for Weird

The eye sees only what the mind
is prepared to comprehend
--Henri Bergson

It is impossible for a man to learn
what he thinks he already knows
--Epictetus
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Our friend Publius of MilBlog recently mentioned his security clearance was still active. This got Ranger thinking about Operational/Security clearances and classified information.

Clearly there is a need for classification of documents, sources, collection activities, etc., for military operations. This same conslusion can be made for national level operations of the federal government, but here is where Ranger loses his way. If the Federal government can hide behind the protective cloak of secrecy and the need for security, then why, too, don't the states operate in a like manner?

How have the national leaders become exempt from the democratic principle of transparency, which is the basis of democratic thought and action? When our highest elected official claim Executive Privilege, how do we the voters ever gain the needed intelligence to make meaningful election booth choices?

The concept of "need to know" is the basis of classified security programs. If the citizens foot the bills, then we have the right to know everything our leaders do in the official execution of their duties.

We the People need to be cleared for weird -- we have a need to know.