Ryan Mauro - Speech, 7/10/2006

Ryan Mauro
Speech at the Protest Against the New York Times

July 10, 2006

In the midst of the outrage over the New York Times disregard for national security, Bill Keller has claimed this is a political ploy. This is simply a trick to rally the conservative base, he says. Congratulations everybody, you’re all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy.

It has nothing to do with national security, or terrorism, we’re just the crazy right-wingers out to get the innocent New York Times.

Mr. Keller, we’re not here because of politics. We’re not here because we disagree with the New York Times’ editorial page. We’re not here because of their consistently negative coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We’re not here because we’re Republicans, or Democrats. We’re here as Americans—Americans threatened by terrorists, and threatened by a press that accommodates them.

In order to be a traitor, you don’t need to like Osama Bin Laden. You don’t have to want to do America harm, and I don’t think that’s what the New York Times wants. But treachery can occur when personal ambition for a good story trumpets a concern for your country.

That’s harsh, I know. I understand the media is supposed to serve as a watchdog on government. But the report in the New York Times admitted the program was perfectly legal, and was very effective in capturing terrorists. Both Democrats and Republicans asked them not to publish the story. There is no argument over whether this program is ethical. The only argument is over what sort of punishment the New York Times deserves.

The only possible motivation to publish this story is greed. Bill Keller said: “I think you would probably like to know what they’re doing that’s successful.” First of all, it isn’t going to be successful if you expose it! And second, since when has the New York Times cared so much about reporting our successes in the War on Terror? That’s a new one.

Oh, and another point. Isn’t this is the same New York Times that always talked about the need for international alliances? In fact, didn’t they cite it as a reason for their endorsement of John Kerry?

I find that funny. Because in their story, they revealed secret cooperation with Belgium. And it’s caused quite a political uproar in Belgium, which is a country where George Bush isn’t too popular right now. You know, for a newspaper that applauds international cooperation, they sure do spend a lot of time undermining it. How many countries are going to want to have secret relationships with us if they know the New York Times will expose them?

I really love Bill Keller’s response to all this.

He says that the terrorists already knew we were trying to track their money, so it was important to report our success. During the Cold War, we successfully flew U-2 spy planes over Cuba and the Soviet Union. That’s certainly a success. Would the New York Times have published that? After all, according to Bill Keller’s logic, the Communists had to know we were trying to spy on them using planes!

Bill Keller is right when he defends himself saying the terrorists already knew we were trying to track their money. But they didn’t know how. If the program was such an open secret as he claims, then does that mean the top terrorist in southeast Asia let himself get arrested?

If the program was such common knowledge, then how come it was top secret? If the program’s disclosure did no harm to the War on Terrorism, then why did both Democratic and Republican members of Congress ask for the story not to be published?

Bill Keller, you are a disgrace. I’ve criticized the New York Times quite a few times over the past few years, but never did I think I’d be standing here, criticizing them for helping the enemy.

I have a final message to Bill Keller, its reporters, and the traitors who leaked the information:

Just because you helped the terrorists unravel a program that would stop them from killing my family, doesn’t mean they’d hesitate to kill your family. I call on the New York Times to stop revealing classified counter-terrorism programs, especially ones they themselves say are perfectly legal.

Instead of exposing the good guys, the New York Times should start exposing the bad guys. We’re all in this fight together, we’re all targeted, and that even includes the New York Times. Thank You.