[lovelettr]

Frontline has a great 2-part documentary on the NSA mass-surveillance program called "United States of Secrets" [1]. (It is available on Netflix)

One of the striking things I took away from that documentary was the rhetoric used to disuade would-be leakers, whistle-blowers, and media outlets that had learned about "the program". In almost every case they would be brought into the White House and briefed in an effort to convince them to keep their silence. The common refrain that was related by all the different parties was the White House (both administrations) would consistently tell the leakers: If you do this the blood will be on your hands for the next terrorist attack.

Sadly this sort of rhetoric really work(ed/s) on people.

[1] http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/united-states-of-sec...