Cognitive Dossinance and Wikileaks

This just in: it's all over the news as we all know-- Paypal and even a Swiss bank is out to stop Julian Assange from releasing and/or dissemination of documents someone gave him that embarrass the US. THIS IS COGNITIVE DISSONANCE FOLKS! "We are the good guys" (held belief) meets "we are/look like jerks" (facts which do not match preferred belief). DANGER DANGER!

So what does the State Department do?

Confabulate! This is from their letter to him:

"Publication of documents of this nature at a minimum would:

* Place at risk the lives of countless innocent individuals — from journalists to human rights activists and bloggers to soldiers to individuals providing information to further peace and security;"

Notice they do not say what law he is violating-- or how loes are at risk. (Since them several sources have said no evidence of any such risk has been found.)

THIS WAS THE FIRST of the alleged dangers. It should have been last as it is the weakest, if you look at FACTS... but it was strongest if all you want is to evoke fear and justify bad acts.Fear has justified so many of our worst behaviors, in every society-- yet we don't seem to learn.

People I consider friends are rabidly wanting Assange to be "nailed." It's not clear has has done anything wrong (no statute was cited in the letter from the State Department to him!) and there is some evidence he has taken care not to do real harm.. but cognitive dissonance is stronger than reason.

I will keep reading and let you know if there is some magic bullet!