secrecy

Why would a general's diary from June 1944 still be classified 63 years later? Why are facts that have been published in the press still classified? Journalism professor Ted Gup has an interesting essay in today's Post about the growing use of secrecy and classification of information by American governments.

Some things should be protected. For example, that general's diary in June 1944 might have contained secrets about the disposition of Allied forces that, if they'd fallen into German hands, could have been very damaging. But in a democracy, secrets should be kept to a minimum. Things should not be kept secret just because their revelation could be embarrassing or politically inconvenient or difficult to explain.