What gives the US government the right to hide information and access about AREA 51?

Question

What are the laws that allow them to do so?

Do they have the right to hold any secrets? I mean, where's the democracy?

Hey, you guys, I didn't mean mean to be spiteful, okay? Heheh...

I am just curious since I only know little about it.

Answer 1

Executive Order 13292, allowing for certain military and security information to be classified, and 18 USC 798 which provides penalties for improperly revealing classified information.

Answer 2

Do you want the US government to publish everything they know about you? I doubt it, but under your guide lines they could. I mean after,where's the democracy?
Of course they have the right to hold secrets.
But regarding area 51, they don't because there aren't any.
Imagine for a moment that there was something to hide. The liberals in government have been exposing everything they can about the Bush administration. Don't you suppose with all the Democratic administrations since"the space craft crashed", we would have had "full disclosure" by now? I mean Democrats are about truth aren't they?

Answer 3

It's called "national security".

If we didn't have security fences, gates, alarms, and armed guards, how would the government protect its own people?

Can you imagine the belly-aching and whining and crying we would hear from liberals if there were a breach of security while Repubicans were in the white house?

Remember Sandy Burger? (Oh wait, that doesn't count--Clinton was president. Sorry.)

Besides, I've seen so-called "area 51". There's nothing there. It's just an air field.

Answer 4

The government has every right to hide information and access
to area 51, and a bunch of other things & places..
I certainly don't want our foreign enemies to learn our military
and technological secrets...

Answer 5

Technology is a very hard thing to stay on top of. Sometimes secrecy is necessary to make sure that we have the most advanced military in the world, that keeps us from having to fight so often. If we were weak we would be attacked, that is why it is important that even if we do bring all of the troops home that we maintain and grow our military even when there is no conflict.

I personally would really like to know, but it doesn't bother me that I don't.

Answer 6

Don't be silly, Area 51 is a diversion, the real secrets are at Area 52.

Answer 7

Is Democracy defined as " right to know about area 51" ? By the way if they tell you about area 51 how it is going to change your life anyway. Will you be willing to tell people about whats inside your house or bedroom?

Answer 8

Yes...it's called national security....

I think you need to be a little realistic. Search back in your own life...is there any secret that you know that wouldn't be good for everyone to know? It applies the same to the government.

Once you leave the world of Idealism...you will awaken to a whole new world.

Answer 9

We don't want our enemies to know what new weapons we are developing. There are and have always been a need for governments to keep certain things secret.

As for Area 51; can you imagine the impact if the government actually admitted that we have captured UFO's and aliens? What would that do for a feeling of security? What would the Evangelical Christians have to say?

Answer 10

Its more the fact that there are not any laws that say they DO have to share the info with us. There is nothing that says they must. And also I'm sure they could relate it to some law saying that it is in the best interests of national security.