How the Times are changing or Another Right bites the dust

Oh how the Times have changed, or will have to. Yesterday, a federal court ruled that the government may prosecute a private citizen who illegally receive and retransmit classified information in the case United States v. Rosen. The judge, T.S. Ellis said:

both common sense and the relevant precedent point persuasively to the conclusion that the government can punish those outside of the government for the unauthorized receipt and deliberate retransmission of information relating to the national defense.

In effect the judge ruled that any First Amendment concerns regarding freedom of speech involving national defense information can be superseded by national security considerations. Could the recent New York Times leaks of classified information by the Times reporters be an example? Some have called for the prosecution of the Times while others see this as another weakening of our civil rights that are slowly getting whittled away.

I tend to think the later, and no, it's not the Bush Administration. There needs to be a balance between our national security and the right to know. I have to think that news outlets are going to start thinking twice or at a minimum, consult with the Feds before divulging classified leaks. It's all the other rights that have been whittled away, and most of those by judicial activism that infuriate me. Examples are 2nd Amendment, Property rights, mandated helmet laws, booster seats, seat belt laws, ordinances, licensing laws, tax laws, etc...

Chime in with your example of how our rights are getting whittled away or comments on classifed news leaks.

Chris - OTBL