Are Hackers REALLY criminals?

Mr. Richmond & Bilton:

Before I express my thoughts about your article, I would like to share an interesting piece about the art of hacking, writtenby a hacker:

The Conscience of a Hacker: We explore…and you call us criminals. We seek after knowledge…and you call us criminals. We exist without skin color, without nationality, without religious bias…and you call us criminals. You build atomic bombs, you wage wars, you murder, cheat, and lie to us and try to make us believe it's for our own good, yet we're the criminals. Yes, I am a criminal. My crime is that of curiosity. My crime is that of judging people by what they say and think, not what they look like. My crime is that of outsmarting you, something that you will never forgive me for. I am a hacker, and this is my manifesto. You may stop this individual, but you can't stop us all. - The Mentor.

After reading your article along with the piece I just shared, it makes one think about who is really at fault here. Are the hackers criminals for their curiosity? Are they wrong for wanting to know what is going on? The piece makes one feel as though the government is at fault for hiding this valuable, important information from the citizens of this country. Don’t we all have a right to know? I find it funny that a group of anonymous members appear to pose a serious threat to the government when the government seems to hold the most power – or do they? I understand that there are certain documents and pieces of information that the government does not want to make public, but why is that okay? As citizens, we are required to share most of our private information yet we are not allowed to know what is going on in our own country? Hackers are heroes. They allow people who lack the skill of hacking to gain access to information that we have the right to see. Since when is seeking information a crime? We are allowed to ask questions, but sometimes, we have to wait for the answers. Why is it wrong to search for the answers on our own? Asking questions and getting sugarcoated answers is not what the people want. The foundation of the art of hacking was built upon people discovering the answers by themselves. It just so happens that there were many people who wanted to find their own answers, which is one of the reasons why LulzSec existed. Just as the government is comprised of many people with the same mission, LulzSec is the same type of organization. What is the difference between the two? Is there a difference between the two?

Respectfully,

J. Howard