Beware of Little Brother

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It wasn't quite the Watergate scandal. It won't live in such infamy.

But in some ways, the brazen hacking into a vice presidential candidate's personal e-mail account -- and the posting of personal information on the World Wide Web -- is far worse than a two-bit burglary.

The penalties should be worse, too.

A federal grand jury in Tennessee this week indicted David Kernell, 20, of Knoxville. The son of state Democratic Rep. Mike Kernell and a University of Tennessee economics major, the younger Kernell faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a three-year term of supervised release.

Kernell allegedly hacked into GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's personal e-mail account and posted some of her private information on the Internet.

This is not just a boys-will-be-boys prank. This is an early blueprint for potential partisan cyberwar. Taken to the extreme, it could be a precedent for an even more toxic political future.

And that's just the politics. The blatant and intentional invasion of someone's personal privacy is an infinitely greater offense.

This young man needs to be made a lesson of.

It may not be Big Brother we need to worry about in the techno-future. It may be Little Brother.

Comments

GACopperhead

While I think the person who hacked into the account should be punished, what of Palin using personal accounts for Government emails? That is also wrong. What of Palin abusing her office in a petty, vindictive attempt to get her ex brother-in-law fired from his job? no doubt she's qualified to be part of a secretive, petty, mud-slinging party that has abridged the rights of American citizens, used poor judgment in foreign affairs, and sat back and fiddled while the economy burned. It's time to put someone competent in office, and get rid of the party that has sunk this country to it's lowest in 80 years.

griesella

gac...Most of us learn very early in life that two wrongs don't make a right. Trying to justify this act is vindictive on your part. Why are you doing so much mud-slinging if you don't approve of mud-slinging. I am sorry to see this young man possibly go to jail likely due to what he heard at his own dinner table.

patriciathomas

GaC, your anti-Palin comments are becoming more and more shallow. Have you noticed?

patriciathomas

The young democrat hacking into Palin's e-mail committed a crime that should be punished immediately and severely. His intent to embarrass and expose Palin only showed that she is who she says she is. The real deal. A straight up, honest American. Turn the tables, imagine that Tom Delay's son had hacked into Obama's e-mail and posted it on the internet. The endless outcry from the press would be deafening....as it should be. Certainly this tiny whisper and poo-pooing that's taking place now wouldn't be the case were the shoe on the other foot. (also imagine what would have been revealed about the socialist)

I4PUTT

GAC your inability to stay focused is getting worse. Your vindicativeness is neither attractive nor necessary. Most likely your candidate will win and Governor Palin will go back to Alaska. One could easily make the same comments about your choice. I hope I'm wrong and your empty suit choice will be a great leader and will navigate us through this mess.

Tujeez

GACopperhead, Still spewing I see. That's a BIG Ol' Can o' Hot POP you got there. Making sure that KOOKS don't stay in Law Enforcement is a job for Governors if need be. I just hope she keeps it up when she gets to the WhiteHouse. (Lookout angiesdad,you ain't gonna be at Sizemore much longer)
BTW, GACopperhead, Have You Done The Math?

GACopperhead

I love it. Palin was found to have abused her powers by a NONPARTISAN investigator, and voted unanimously to be released by a BIPARTISAN committee and you still back her. i never said the criminal shouldn't be punished, as an amateur "geek" I support his arrest. My point is that the AC and all the people out there are absolutely blind to the facts. Palin is a petty vindictive person who has no place in our government. Get a life, folks, 8 years of this type of administration is enough.

GACopperhead

Hey folks, see you at the polls. I wouldn't be surprised if even Georgia votes for Obama. You are forgetting all the young people out there who are tired of the Republican junk in the White House and Congress.

GACopperhead

The only bad thing is we'll have to hear 8 years of whining after Obama is elected.

EJ

GAC....If Obama IS elected, it will be because your radical cronies each voted 70 times for him, not to mention their dogs, cats, a couple of sewer rats and of course several dead people. Gotta love the democrat's sense of fair play!

GACopperhead

Demo, I've done the math...McCain would cost you your employer supported health care by removing the tax breaks that employers get for providing insurance for their employees.Go check the facts. Really smart.....go ahead and vote for someone who will give MORE of your money to the rich, while telling you..."don't worry, it'll trickle down". On trickle I've seen is the Republican Party wetting their pants over Obama.

GACopperhead

You mean after the Republicans do all they can to intimidate, and remove people from the voters roles with ILLEGAL Social Security checks? The Fed is already looking into that here in GA. It's even here in the AC. what a joke.....

JohnQPublic

So now the GOP wants someone dishonest to be elected VP...imagine that. She ought to be arrested for inciting riot and encouraging murder. As far as voter fraud is concerned, the GOP are the masters of that. Look at the last two presidential elections. They even own the supreme court. That's who "elected" Bush, not the people.

JohnQPublic

McCain admonishing the folks in his audience was the first decent thing he's said during this whole campaign. Why didn't Palin stop the hate shouters when she was speaking? Because she doesn't care, and she agrees with them. She ought to be ashamed. Did any of y'all GOP'ers speak out against it? No. Y'all ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

patriciathomas

No GaC, we won't have 8 years of whining if he's elected, he'll only be in office for 4 years. Of course, his extreme socialist appointments to the Supreme Court will probably lead to decades of suffering and whining for this country. Electing him will be much more stupid than putting Carter in office.

patriciathomas

Back on subject, the little Democrat operative that hacked Palin's e-mail should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Using a youngster to do their dirty work is akin to gang bangers using children to pull the trigger because of child protection laws.

GACopperhead

pat, I believe, from your posts, that, not only do you NOT have any knowledge of Obama's policies, you have no knowledge of McCain's. McCain wants to TAX your health care benefits, remove the tax credits your employer gets for HIS part of your benefits, ultimately causing the loss of your employer provided benefits. He also wants to reward the shady lenders in the mortgage debacle by renegotiating the mortgages at the existing value on the loan, rather that lowering the value of the house. Your constant catch-phrases of "socialist" and"wealth redistribution" are not accurate. Even if they are, frankly, wealth has been "redistributed" from MY pocket to the ultra rich , now it's time for it to "trickle down"

GACopperhead

"The report was made public the same day an Anchorage judge issued a temporary restraining order forcing the state of Alaska to preserve any government-related e-mails that Palin and top aides sent from private accounts in what critics contend was an effort to conceal that they were doing political business while working at state government jobs." Hey pat, looks like we'll get a legal look at her emails now.

HYPOCRITES 08

So are you implying that either his Father or the DNC put these two up to this? I hope you are not serious? Well at least me don't have to worry about McCain's email. Seriously they should be prosecuted to the extend that the law allows.

GACopperhead

I agree, Hypo, but it REALLY is funny, and I DO wish that it hadn't been cut off before the truth was brought out. Now, thanks to an Alaska judge, it may well come out anyway.

soldout

If you vote for anyone who believes killing un-born babies is okay how can that person have any wisdom in other areas?

mable8

gacopperhead: Wooten should have been fired from his job as a State Trooper and charged with child endangerment. Unless, of course, you believe it is perfectly alright to taser a 10 year old child because you were angry with your wife. Palin committed NO abuse of powers; that is the findings of three individuals who had a political axe to grind. The so-called investigation was not a legitimate investigative inquirey in the first place; that is in the purvey of the State Personnel Board, which, by the way, has been conducting an appropriate (and LEGAL) investigation into the matter. As for Todd Palin's approach to authorities, as the child's uncle, he had every right to do so on behalf of his sister and nephew. Had this been a relative of mine, you bet your sweet bippy I would be on the authorities behind to do something about this sadistic "trooper." I doubt you would be very silent yourself if such an incident involved your relatives.

GR-10

Ron Paul supports Chuck Baldwin the Constitutional candidate for President. Check him out: http://www.baldwin08.com/ 3rd Party Candidates are also running for President. Learn about them, check out where they stand on issues.

GACopperhead

mable, yawn....GR, I'd vote for Baldwin, but I've got to vote AGAINST McCain/Palin. I will not agree with 4 more year of the debacle known as the Republican Party.

mgroothand

GR-10: Voting for your candidate is like spitting into the wind. Some will even be voting for Cynthia McKinney.

KSL

coalminer, maybe she didn't call down the heckler because to do so would legitimize him. Maybe she figured he/she were plants such as the one's Hillary had in her audience to get media attention during the primaries.

KSL

Using personal email for official business or using business email for personal. Hmmm??

JohnQPublic

Loudermilk, finally McCain took a stand with the hatemongers. I might have even voted for him if he did not have Wacko Palin as a running mate! Palin could not take a stand against them because she is with them. I wonder how much those folks to paid by the GOP to try to agitate the crowd? Get real! Wake up the smell the racism kathysue! Pull your head out of the clouds and look around. I doubt Palin will be at your house for dinner any time soon. Yet, you talk of her as if she were your long, lost girlfriend. Shoot, even some of her best female friends are not voting for her. And don't think everyone in Alaska thinks she is the goose that laid the golden poot.

Tujeez

You know grasshopper, you are a piece of work.If My insurance benefits are taxable, that makes them income. Not a financial liability of my employers but, of mine. They will move the figures into the pay section of the spreadsheet and keep on doing business as usual. You really think that people are stupid enough to believe that McCain would do more to cause the numbers of uninsured to rise? You need help. Anyone desperate enough to use disinformation to spread fear needs help. no people, as I have said before, this action would only give most of us a tax break, as most of us don't(along with our employers) pay anything near $5,000.00 per year in healthcare insurance premiums. This is just another scare tactic thought up by the Dimwit DEMs to confuse the uninformed. This practice may even help more employers offer insurance to more employees. Without getting the Government involved as the middlemen. That hasn't worked so well with Social Security. As they(DEMs) have borrowed from it many times, so many in fact, that the SS coffers are now full of Congressional I.O.U.s. I woulldn't want them to go borrowing our health care dollars. Cause you know DEMs, If they could they would.

Tujeez

coalminerpa, I truly hope you get past all of that Femenist Hostility you have for your new VP. If you like strong robust hairy women, hurrah for you. Don't kick someone just because their idea of womanhood is different than yours. And if you do prepare to be labled a feminist. At least she isn't bulemic or anorexic, and as of yet I don't think she's posed for Playboy. This ain't highschool anymore, and i'm sure Sarah doesn't want your man, or your woman either if you roll like that.All she's trying real hard to do is the job she's been asked to do and accepted. Now, go to the mirror and ask yourself, If I knew all of the world were thinking and saying all of that crap about me, like they are her, how would I feel? Makes you feel like a wugwump huh? You betcha!

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