Forum Post: Thanks Whistle-Blowers. You Put Freedom Above Slavery.
Posted 11 years ago on June 12, 2013, 4:34 p.m. EST by TheRoot
(305)
from New York, NY
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Admiration and respect to the whistle-blowers. Liberty still has meaning for them. Shame on the Sargent Schultz's still working at the NSA. They work and collect their pay from their imperialist bosses. They know full well that they are part of massive surveillance on every citizen in the US and innocent citizens across the world. But they justify their pay by uniformly pretending that they are fighting terrorists.
Bill Binney said, "the forces of evil are too numerous" at the NSA. So, he left the NSA. Edward Snowden was of the same mind.
I am saying it in the broadest way that I know how to say it. I thank you Mr. Snowden and Binney and each and everyone like you for putting freedom above slavery.
Digital Blackwater: How the NSA Gives Private Contractors Control of the Surveillance State
Tuesday, 11 June 2013 12:55 By Amy Goodman, Democracy NOW! | Video
As the Justice Department prepares to file charges against Booz Allen Hamilton employee Edward Snowden for leaking classified documents about the National Security Agency, the role of private intelligence firms has entered the national spotlight. Despite being on the job as a contract worker inside the NSA's Hawaii office for less than three months, Snowden claimed he had power to spy on almost anyone in the country. "I, sitting at my desk, certainly had the authorities to wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant to a federal judge, to even the president, if I had a personal email," Snowden told The Guardian newspaper. Over the past decade, the U.S. intelligence community has relied increasingly on the technical expertise of private firms such as Booz Allen, SAIC, the Boeing subsidiary Narus and Northrop Grumman. About 70 percent of the national intelligence budget is now spent on the private sector. Former NSA Director Michael V. Hayden has described these firms as a quote "digital Blackwater." We speak to Tim Shorrock, author of the book "Spies for Hire: The Secret World of Outsourced Intelligence."
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AARON MATÉ: The U.S. government has begun the process of charging Edward Snowden with disclosing classified information after he leaked a trove of secret documents outlining the NSA's surveillance programs. The FBI has already questioned Snowden's relatives and associates. Snowden is a 29-year-old computer technician who formerly worked for the CIA. He reportedly turned over thousands of documents to Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian newspaper, as well as to The Washington Post. Only a few have been published so far. His current whereabouts are unknown. Snowden flew from Hawaii to Hong Kong on May 20th. On Monday, he reportedly checked out of his Hong Kong hotel one day after The Guardian posted a video of him explaining his decision to leak the information.
Amy Goodman: Response to Edward Snowden's actions has been mixed. On Capitol Hill, Senator Dianne Feinstein accused Snowden of committing treason. Meanwhile, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg called Snowden a hero, writing, quote, "In my estimation, there has not been in American history a more important leak than Edward Snowden's release of NSA material—and that definitely includes the Pentagon Papers 40 years ago," he said. The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, has also praised Edward Snowden.
http://truth-out.org/video/item/16904-digital-blackwater-how-the-nsa-gives-private-contractors-control-of-the-surveillance-state
Good Post
Mr. Snowden is being very selfish as he believes that his opinion is better than the President's, the administration at the NSA, numerous members of Congress and by defacto, the people. He can disagree with what is happening but when this program has been vetted many times and he goes against his promise, then it is flat out wrong and incredibly selfish.
Finally! A patriotic American! The dear Leader keeps us safe and anybody that says otherwise is a traitor!
War is peace!
Ignorance is strength!
Freedom is slavery!
HEIL!
So when you go against the system that has been voted on by the people you are going against the people. Kid of like Hitler, Stalin, Hussein... You are in very elite company.
Well said.
With that then, I admire not only his integrity but his selfishness too.