Why I side with the Government over Anonymous

In my update to the post regarding Anonymous and SCADA, I pointed out that Dan Kaplan disagrees with DOHS' characterization of Anonymous as targeting critical infrastructure.

Now, it does not seem to me that Mr. Kaplan carries a brief for Anonymous, he just thinks that:

1) The DOHS statement is at least partially motivated by a desire to paint Anonymous as a terrorist orgnization
2) That reliable Anonymous sources have not confirmed the SCADA story
3) Anonymous cares about the environment and sympathizes with the Occupy Wall Street movement, so they care about people and the planet

I cannot speak with authority about DOHS' motivation. Indeed, it is possible that DOHS is motivated by a desire to protect Americans. There is nothing in the press release itself which would lead me to believe that their motives are nefarious. However, Anonymous has already decided that the Alberta oil sands should be shut down, and Anonymous will, in its own words, "The continued development of the tar sands is a major step backward in the effort to curb global warming. Anonymous will not suffer this without a fight, and Operation Green Rights will always support the rights of the people to live in an unpolluted world, and aim to help safeguard it for the future. One way or another." (Operation Greenrights) That sounds pretty threatening to me. YMMV

That some in Anonymous have different priorities, or that there is disagreement within Anonymous, is beside the point. As a distributed, non-hierarchal organization, no one individual or group of individuals can be said to represent "Anonymous" more than another. Nor does support for Occupy Wall Street make a difference.

It is possible to support Occupy wall Street (who's ideas are difficult to pin down, honestly) and support "direct action" against the companies exploiting the tar sands. In other words, the organization of Anonymous, or its lack of organization, comes with benefits as well as disadvantages.

Basically, Anonymous comes across to me as a bunch of self righteous individuals who, if given the chance, would love the fame of bringing down a big target like the "evil" oil companies so they can confirm themselves in their own alleged moral superiority. And while I don't think they are necessarily trying to kill people, if one messes with some types of SCADA controls that will more then likely be the effect.

And that IS terrorism.