liberty is hunted around the globe: what snowden taught us about american freedom

[xchrom]

http://www.nationofchange.org/liberty-hunted-around-globe-what-snowden-taught-us-about-american-freedom-1373728419

Earlier this month, as Americans celebrated our Independence Day holiday, the true scope of American independence became visible. The revelations of Edward Snowden, and the elite reaction to those revelations show that Americans are not a truly free and independent people, our major media are not free or independent, and neither are the supposedly sovereign nations of Europe free or independent states.

The American people fully recognize the threat that the U.S. security state poses to American liberty; according to a national Quinnipiac Poll released this week, 55% of Americans consider Edward Snowden a whistleblower, not a traitor.

Yet who will protect this whistleblower, deemed a traitor by Pennsylvania Avenue, and a hero by most Americans?

Not the mainstream media of the United States, which has shamefully defended the security state and used character-assassination to shift attention away from the NSA scandal. The self-proclaimed progressive network, MSNBC, has described Snowden as a “punk” and a “coward.” Considering their coverage of this scandal, it is now clear that the word “coward” better describes MSNBC and the rest of the media elite in this country. As media critic Jeff Cohen has asked, would U.S. media act any less independently if it were state controlled?

[1-Old-Man]

1. K&R if for nothing else than pointing out the 'cowardly' press and it distortions

Snowden is nothing short of a National hero, a man who is willing to sacrifice his own future and freedomes for ours.

[Douglas Carpenter]

2. knr

[Octafish]

3. Oustanding essay!

Article, I believe, is by Ben Manski. Great links, too.

[Waiting For Everyman]

4. Sen. Church's words bear repeating. (quoted in the article)

In contrast, during the 1975 Congressional hearings on NSA, Senator Frank Church stated that:

"I know the capacity that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see to it that this agency and all agencies that possess this technology operate within the law and under proper supervision, so that we never cross over that abyss. That is the abyss from which there is no return."


That is what the head of the committee had to say after conducting extensive hearings into our government's secret activities in 1975. Since then, technologoy has exploded and oversight has gone blind. We're in some trouble by now. The committee's reports are very interesting, and these were some serious people who did a very serious job of it. They really tried to find out what was going on, which nobody has done nearly as well since.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee


Btw, if this mass collection of personal information that we are hearing about now was really of any effective use in preventing terrorism... then why did the Boston Bombing happen? Why didn't the Feds know all about it beforehand? This isn't being used against terrorism, it's being used against us.

[Zorra]

5. +1 nt

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Liberty, freedom and justice.

The US Government proclaim a passion for freedom, even as they seeks to eliminate the freedom of others, Justice is denied to all at Gitmo as the Justice department fights against habeas corpus in the name of Justice.

good essay just my two cents added.

[Catherina]

7. Taught the whole world about that. Let It SNOW!

Edward Snowden by Patti Smith in Uppsala, Sweden

[xchrom]

8. ...

[Catherina]

9. There's one slightly better video but it cuts out the beginning

I'm happy you liked it. Patti is awesome!

[xchrom]

10. if y haven't guessed -- i'm just a big fan of every one who 'does it different'.

and she 'does it different' better than most.

[randome]

11. And you know where it's hunted most? China. Russia. Venezuela.

The irony and the disconnect on all matters Snowden astounds me.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

[Waiting For Everyman]

12. Point taken, but when the "good guys" are all corrupted, what choice is left?

And that includes here, the US of A. There is no such thing as pure choices in this world. There is no action that anybody could take, that couldn't be criticized by somebody for something.

Those of us standing on the sidelines have little place to be criticizing those in the action taking the risks -- substantially alone.