Advantage Quote by Richard Stengel
“The government's assertion that it must be unhindered in protecting our security can camouflage the desire to increase Executive power, while the press's cry of the public's right to know can mask a quest for competitive advantage or a hidden animus. Neither the need to protect our security nor the public's right to know is a blank check.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Remarks on Media and Security, US Government, 2015
Power can hide behind security and transparency can hide profit motives, so both claims need scrutiny.
In simple terms: Security and openness can be used to mask hidden agendas.
Key Takeaway
Question claims critically.
Themes
politics
media
power
transparency
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- government policy
- journalism
- corporate communication
- public advocacy
Key Concepts
democracy
information control
propaganda
Questions to Reflect On
- Who benefits from secrecy?
- How can transparency be genuine?
A Different Perspective
Unchecked authority can erode freedoms.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
