Edward Snowden: the whistleblower behind revelations of NSA surveillance

Edward Snowden: the whistleblower behind revelations of NSA surveillance

www.guardian.co.uk

In a note accompanying the first set of documents he provided, he wrote: "I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions," but "I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant."

All my options are bad," he said. The US could begin extradition proceedings against him, a potentially problematic, lengthy and unpredictable course for Washington. Or the Chinese government might whisk him away for questioning, viewing him as a useful source of information. Or he might end up being grabbed and bundled into a plane bound for US territory.m

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Wow, this guy is brave. I hope, as he says, his reasons for doing this get more publicity than he does. He sees what's happening and wants to stop it! A young one too. He says harming people isn't his goal - transparency is.

All American kid worked for the CIA and couldn't stand back and watch our freedom be destroyed. He's currently in Hong Kong, waiting for the fireworks. It will be very interesting to see how it plays out.

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

My hat is off to you Ed.

We, as consumers and voters, are going to have to be the ones that make the choice. Status Quo ain't going to cut it anymore.

I hope he stays alive he's done us a great service.

reply to post by Maluhia


Thanks for sharing this. Hopefully this starts a domino effect where more and more people bring our shady Govt.'s shady activities to light.

A true American hero.

Here is the interview video.

Hats off to this guy. We need more people like him to release information the lying robbing politicians keep secret from us.

Now his name is out there he's probably safer than if he remained anonymous. They would have tracked him down eventually.

These people truly believe they are above the law in every way, shape, and form.
It doesn't matter at all he has gone public. He needs to keep his head down.

ETA: in the meantime since he HAS gone public, we need to support him however we can. We can start by flagging the heck out of this thread.

reply to post by watchitburn


Thanks for posting the vid. I hope this starts a domino affect too, but I'm leary. The other side has a lot to lose. Hopefully it will wake more people up!

This guy is my new hero.

reply to post by JayinAR



He needs to live the rest of his time LIVE on the Internet.
Now that's a new twist on Witness protection, huh?

Edward Snowden is NOT an American hero. I sincerely hope the security services start extradition proceedings and take him back to the US where he can be placed in front of a judge to answer for his actions. The leak of the information to The Guardian was reckless and Mr Snowden should never have breached national security. PRISM is in place for the right reasons - to protect people.

My hat is officially off.

Its people like this man, who are prepared to act on thier belief in freedom and liberty, which make this planet worth living on. I salute him, and he will be in my thoughts and prayers.

If you have a faith, fellow members, please add your prayers to the massive sackful that should be said for this man, his safety, and the safety of his family.

Good on him. As a citizen of the USA I deserve the right to know what's being done with my taxes. I should also have a say in whether or not this type of monitoring goes on and in what capacity. This whole "we know better than you" and "it's for National Security" BS has got to stop.

This young man would make me proud if I was his mother. He chose to expose the NSA surveillance program, and not hide in the shadows. So Obama, you can save the US some money and stop your proble into this.

I support Edward Snowden 100% and Obama I dare you to hurt one hair on his lovely head! What really helps him out is that he does not work for the NSA and was an external contracter! Yipee!!!!

Originally posted by ProfessorT
Edward Snowden is NOT an American hero. I sincerely hope the security services start extradition proceedings and take him back to the US where he can be placed in front of a judge to answer for his actions. The leak of the information to The Guardian was reckless and Mr Snowden should never have breached national security. PRISM is in place for the right reasons - to protect people.

You're brainwashed my friend.
I hope you'll eventually find that what this guy did is for the good for all of us citizens of the world, and that is defending our basic human rights.

Snowden is only a small timer, a total idiot who cares only about his own ego and martydoom the way a brainwashed radical militant would blow himself up killing scores of innocent men, women and babies.

What is needed is the ONE who gave him that information, and NO effort will be untried to make him talk, the same person or persons whom had divulge NATIONAL SECURITY information, more so relevant in this current war against Terrorism that knows no border and whose combatants hide amongst us, now warned by his idiocy to take better precautions so that they can be more effective to kill MORE innocent men, women and children around the world.

Best this fool wakes up on the harm he had done, offer up the information willingly, and not continue to sleep with the delusion of personal glory and martydom. For sure, there are NO 7 virgins waiting for him, only thousands of innocent dead screaming at him for eternity as all suicide bombers are facing.

reply to post by ProfessorT

Edward Snowden is NOT an American hero. I sincerely hope the security services start extradition proceedings and take him back to the US where he can be placed in front of a judge to answer for his actions. The leak of the information to The Guardian was reckless and Mr Snowden should never have breached national security. PRISM is in place for the right reasons - to protect people.

Considering that he's close to it and has experience with it and feels VERY differently, I think I'm going to side with him.

reply to post by ProfessorT


What actions? He did nothing wrong! He was an external contracter reporting what he saw! Just an ordinary citizen like you or I.

I imagine the govt/media will do their best to criminalize this man to the public. I can almost hear someone saying: "I want to know everything about this guy, who he shoved in first grade, etc. and if you can't find dirt, create it and make it stick." Hmmm..... now whose voice is that??? Three guesses and whoever you say will probably be the right answer.

No, he's not a hero. He's a normal human being with a conscience and a real sense of morals and willing to stand up when he knows what he's involved in is inherently wrong in every way. Forget nationality, he's exposing what he believes is one of the key steps in the US' attempt to control "everything".

It isn't about guns or weapons, it's information and how that information is used. The US govt has repeatedly said you have nothing to fear if you're innocent. But what if someone ELSE makes a mistake and your name comes up by error? How do you disprove a system that is designed to capture and store and make algorithmic assumptions on your past and future based on stored information?

Forget your Second Amendment as that will do nothing. This is what people have to fear - the mass, unregulated, all-encompassing collection of all your personal data, hived to a meta data system of look up which can be used to undermine you at any point that suits their interest.

This is truly, truly scary. And this man has just painted a bulls eye on his forehead for the rest of the American people. Hell, the people of the world.

@post by SeekerofTruth101
@post by ProfessorT

I can only assume you two are trolls as no one is that stupid and idiotic.

If the US wants to see the uprising that they fear, go ahead, knock that battery off our shoulders! I call for all Americans to stand united with Edward snowden!