Posted on 06/16/2013 7:19:50 AM PDT by jimjohn
With all the banter going around concerning this ‘rouge element’, we need to take an honest look at what information has been revealed and more important - what makes this leaked information so damaging, and why Snowden is so dangerous?
With all the banter going around concerning this ‘rouge element’, we need to take an honest look at what information has been revealed and more important - what makes this leaked information so damaging, and why Snowden is so dangerous?
When the 29 year-old decided to go public with his identity, this writer was at first disappointed thinking that in the media spin, the story would become about him, rather than the message he was transmitting. This is exactly what took place in the government/media complex. By week’s end, it was made clear that the NSA has no intention of suspending their ‘secret’ program of blatant violations of the Fourth Amendment, or walking it back in any way. This comes with the blessing of their government masters.
“They are not really spying on us. They are keeping us safe. It’s just metadata”, we are told. And even though this is just the latest example of a government agency abusing its authority, “There is no cause for alarm”. And to prove this, our government will leak every dirty detail about Snowden, and pledges to search the ends of the earth to find him, and bring him to justice - for telling Americans that we are being spied upon, we’re not safe, it’s not just metadata, and there is really a cause for alarm.
It was by week’s end that I began to truly understand the reason for Snowden going public. It’s not just about keeping himself alive, it’s also not about his 15 minutes of fame, or validating the data by putting his name on it. In fact, I dare to say that Snowden also knows the real reason the government is so furious with him, and it has almost nothing to do with what he has stated about the NSA.
Edward Snowden’s major crime was having the courage to publically walk away from it all – on principle.
Think about it. Many people either knew or suspected what Snowden said long before he said it. Books have been published; movies produced on the topic. This data-mining has been going on throughout government agencies for years. From red-light cameras to un-authorized wire-tapping, to internet snooping and everything in between, America has become a surveillance state and if you will – a police state. Tens of thousands of Americans work for these agencies. Thousands more have been victims of this government’s heavy hand due in part to the information it held against the victim.
Snowden had a great life. An intelligent man on top in his tradecraft, a future with the women he loved and a home in Hawaii (a.k.a Paradise). He was just like – well, many of the new hires of government today, and in fact many of us. But how many of us would just trade it all in – our homes, jobs, and families to stand for something with virtually no personal reward, and in fact, could cost you your own life?
If I was among the guardians of this (Un)American Empire, my primary concern (read: fear)these days would be how many more Edward Snowden’s are out there. I suspect agencies in the U.S. government are at this time scrambling trying to figure out who among the millions of employees and contractors may have a bit of ‘principle’ left in them. Government employees taking un-authorized trips out of the country are probably going under extra scrutiny. Employees found reading the Constitution or documents of the founding fathers may find their security clearances revoked, and/or other punitive measures taken against them.
The Government’s stance against Snowden is not for general public consumption, as it is not helping its image at all. It is in fact for empire’s workforce – a message to the next would-be Snowden out there.
If you as an American feels your government has far overstepped its boundaries and is out of control, know that you are not alone. As a matter of fact, you’re probably in the vast majority. In the last two weeks, I have overheard discussions from across the political spectrum. Americans know Washington has become the problem, and we have lost respect and are fearful of this institution. I suspect that fear is magnified on many within government itself.
Those Americans that are truly on the side of the Constitution and the Freedom and Liberty guaranteed within, should seek out and welcome those on the ‘inside’ with principle seeking to speak out against the apparatus that seeks to consume everyone. Love him or hate him, Snowden has led by example.
He may be this generation’s Paul Revere, with a little bit of Sam Adams mixed in. But I suspect as the government’s abuse grows, and the citizens are forced to respond, the name Edward Snowden may become legend as in Ayn Rand’s timeless novel ‘Atlas Shrugged’, where instead of the phrase “Who is John Galt?”, we hear (any say) “Who is Edward Snowden?”.
I would put Obama in jail, not Ed.
Snowden is pretty obviously in the pay of Red China. It’s shocking how many people have deluded themselves about this.
I’d put his entire administration in jail. Along with every single IRS, EPA, FBI, CIA, HHS, DHS, etc,etc,etc. employee in jail as well.
The whole damn lot is corrupt!
Is that you, Joe Biden?
No patriot trusts the government. Our government was founded on distrust of a strong central government, and the Founders would be ashamed that we have been so lax in defending liberty. Ben Franklin was absolutely correct about seeking security at the price of freedom.
Well, finally. Right from the lowest local form of government to the top. We have lost control of our freedom.
Some few years ago, the government had tapped into and was listening in on the cell phone conversations of the various Muslim groups that were wishing ill upon America. This was a good and reliable source, and we had quite a bit of actionable intelligence available. Then Senator Pat Leahy got up, in the well of the Senate, and blurted out, that we were listening in on these conversations, which dried up this rich vein of data. Overnight, the jihadists, realizing the error of their ways, went to using throwaway phones and coding their verbal messages much more carefully.
Small wonder, then, that when Dick Cheney and Senator Leahy met in a casual encounter, the senator, with the mistaken idea that cordiality was in order, was greatly shocked when the Vice President told the senator to perform a biologically impossible act of perversion upon himself.
Senator Leahy is a blabbermouth, but because he pronounced his revelations from the floor of the Senate, he is immune to the consequences. There is a section in the Constitution which permits this. (Article I, Section 6).
Edward Snowden has no such protection from the consequences of his actions.
I was married for a while to a woman from Red China. She had a sister who had been at Tiananmen Square. She had a brother who had spent five years in prison for running guns to the Tibetans. She was no stranger to tyranny.
After living in the States for several years - small town Wyoming, no less - she began to remark that her impression from the first was that she was more free in China than in the US. It was soft tyranny here, but it was pervasive.
In China, if you weren’t political, you could live your life in peace, at least since “the excesses of the Cultural Revolution.” Here, the government was in every aspect of your life, and she saw it immediately, and she hated it. I had spent time there as well, and had to admit she was right.
I question your statement about Snowden’s motives. I also wonder if the truth is more important than how the truth gets to us. Nothing Snowden says has been at all refuted to my satisfaction, and much that has come out since has confirmed it.
Senator Leahy was not held to account, because none dared call it “treason”, “breach of the peace”, or “felony”.
Laws are selectively applied in regards to members of the House or Senate.
But then, you knew that.
We will also see how beholden to Red China the U.S. is. Red China may say “hands off Ed Snowden” and the U.S. govt. will obey.
BRAVO...!
(2) Snowden's motives are obvious. He has done two things: (a) publicly stated that the US government has the capability of deep real-time surveillance of its citizens just like Red China (Red Chinese propaganda victory) and (b) the US hacks Red China (Red Chinese propaganda victory. Then he fled to . . . Red China.
(3) We still do not know the whole truth. We know only the part of the truth that Snowden's handlers want us to see. A great American once said "trust but verify." A snake like Snowden demands application of this principle.
I fear him because he is taking important classified information, and providing it to our enemies, which will make our country less safe.
He is revealing clandestine spy operations being carried out in Hong Kong and China, for example — that came out this morning. Now our enemies know exactly how we are getting information about them from the internet.
This will likely lead to a bigger crackdown on the internet by China, which will further repress their people and prevent freedom from spreading. All because Snowden thought he knew best what secrets should not be secret.
A hero would have taken that information to his congressman, or to the ethics officers that are in all classified organizations. He had many avenues to blow the whistle without aiding our enemies.
he might be a prophet.
We know all we've what we needed to know: That our 4th Amendment Rights have been swirling down the ol' porcelain crapper without our knowledge OR consent.
Have you any concerns about the NSA's "handlers"??
‘rouge element’ bump! ;)
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