Snowden
on 4/14/14 12:59 pm, edited 4/14/14 4:17 pm
This is kind of an interesting interview.
I hadn't actually seen an interview with Snowden before.
I have read many Americans declaring him as a traitor, but I still don't get it. He seems like a whistle blower for something the government knows isn't in the interest of it's citizens rights, but convenient to have.
Anyone can say "Yes, it's a lot of power in the wrong hands but I know how to use it.", what happens when the power changes hands? You can't suddenly turn the switch after the catastrophe has occurred.
(http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f93_1390833151)
My siblings who stayed in the States seem to be split on the topic. Is no one alarmed by the fact that your privacy can be invaded at any time without your knowledge/warrant/consent?
on 4/15/14 1:31 am
I just don't understand how so many people get in a stink over the right to bear arms and just shrug at this...
"Three of the five panel members concluded that the NSA spying programme "lacks a viable legal foundation" under the Patriot Act.
It "represents an unsustainable attempt to shoehorn a pre-existing surveillance programme into the text of a statute with which it is not compatible", they said.
The programme also raised constitutional concerns, including "serious threats to privacy and civil liberties as a policy matter, and has shown only limited value".
"As a result, the board recommends that the government end the programme," said the report."
Because you have to consider the intelligence of people who are concerned that President Obama is coming for their guns and yet thought nothing of the Patriot Act!
Snowden is a whistle blower, as is Bradley Manning - they are not traitors. They did this for the people - there has been NO evidence that anyone was put in danger by their acts, and the furore over them compared with the whimper about what they revealed shows what sheeple we are in this country!
Proud Feminist, Atheist, LGBT friend, and Democratic Socialist
It has always just been assumed that it was going on. What Snowden did is not cool. He took all of that information to RUSSIA? Give me a freaking break. How many people did he and Bradley or Chelsea Manning jeopardize that are under cover, or spies? I know it's not cool the Gov't is doing that, but there is a better way to expose corruption than to steal the documents and move to an unfriendly country.
on 4/15/14 1:24 am
From what I understand, he released his information to the press, to let them decide what is in the interest of the public and what is in the interest in (US) govt. security. He has asylum in Russia, but he has not given them any information. If he had wanted to, he could have easily flown to china or russia and sold them his information without ever making a fuss for himself by publicizing the massive invasion of peoples privacy.
But since you're okay with having your phones tapped, house searched, and mail opened without a warrant I guess it's ok.
on 4/15/14 2:58 am, edited 4/15/14 2:59 am
Perhaps if the US government treated him like the whistleblower he is and not a 'traitor', and hadn't revoked a natural born citizens passport, he wouldn't be in russia where they can try to hold anything over his head?
I also don't think he would have lived in the airport for so long if he was just going to sell out. I think just the threat of having him in their country is enough to meep off the US govt. that he never has to divulge -or would, anything.
Ha! That's an awesome graphic. It's almost a shame it's amusing, the sentiment we really should be feeling is horror.
Edited to add: I don't mean to trivialize the subject by just commenting on the graphic. To be honest, I've followed all these developments for some time now, and what I feel mostly about them is sad resignation. I don't see any way to change it; politicians are in the pocket of big business and moneyed donors, so they have no interest in challenging the systems. I know, that makes me part of the problem...they're counting on people like me just shrugging and saying "What can you do?" but really, what can you do? We live in a police state, that much is evident. I have no clue how that could be fixed, though.
Surgery: RNY on 12/18/2013 with Jay M. Snow, MD "Don't mistake my kindness for weakness." - Robert Herjavec, quoting Al Capone
on 4/15/14 2:32 am
But shouldn't the Government be afraid of what their people think? Not the inverse? Isn't the government supposed to be there *for* the people?
Why aren't people protesting at the White House the way they would if someone tried to ban guns or increased taxes to better the education system?
Why is everyone just shrugging and grumbling under their breaths instead of standing up for their rights and trying to change the police state they live in? Especially when it has been found (by government officials) not to actually preventing more than what they prevented before, especially in respect to how illegal it is to invade peoples civil liberties?
