Edward Snowden Interview on NBC

[blacklabs]

So who watched this interview and what are the prevailing thoughts around this guy and what he did and how has the interview been received in the US. It hasn't yet aired in Australia (birth country of Julian Assange, WikiLeaks) where I live and video content on NBC is blocked outside the U.S. and the video posted on You tube has also been blocked.

[Sir Winston]

I saw the short version of it on the NBC Nightly News. Personally, I'm glad he did what he did. Obviously many people will disagree, claim he's a traitor, blah blah blah. The simple fact of that matter is the government's NSA program is blatantly unconstitutional and violates international law as well. Collecting cell phone records without a warrant is a blatant violation of the 4th Amendment.

As Snowden said, he had a very comfortable life as a contractor. He was making $90,000 a year, which is pretty good for someone without a high school diploma. Why leave that all behind, abandon his family, etc. if they really didn't feel strongly about this? It's not as though he was someone with nothing to lose.

Also, I wanted to punch Secretary of State John Kerry when he called Snowden a traitor to his country. This is rich coming from a man who, after returning home from the Vietnam War, testified before Congress himself about the atrocities committed by American troops. A man with effusive praise for Daniel Ellsberg, who using the Pentegon Papers exposed the Johnson administration's blatant use of misinformation to accelerate U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

All of these men are whistleblowers. They all made sensitive information about government national security operations public. All of them were accused of jeopardizing national security and being traitors. One would expect Kerry to have more sympathy. But no. Snowden is somehow different than he or Ellsberg.

Kerry wants Snowden to make a deal, and plead guilty to charges that carry up to 20 years in prison. Did Kerry do time for his political activism? No. Instead he parlayed it into an entire career, using his connections to marry an incredibly wealthy widow and nearly becoming president. It's just hypocrisy on the highest order.

Ellsberg's case is even worse. Nixon was so paranoid about him that he had members of his own administration break into Ellsberg's psychiatrists' office to steal his records and illegally wiretapped his phone without a warrant. The government's behavior was so deplorable that the judge presiding over Ellsburg's trial dismissed all of the charges.

Once again, the federal government has behaved deplorably, and has failed to produce a shred of evidence that the Snowden leaks have compromised national security in any tangible way.

[blacklabs]

Yeah I agree with you, it took a lot of guts to do what he did, he will be pursued by the US government to the ends of the earth, like Julian Assange. I am concerned at the ever increasing intrusion and surveillance of citizens by the governments and I do admire the people who take a stand at great personal cost. So many hypocrites in all governments unfortunately. Big brother has sadly become a reality.

[txnative]

It was a very interesting interview. Snowden has a valid point - the government can't name one person Snowden's actions have jeopardized. Of course, if anyone truly believes the government, and many corporations, aren't data mining, they're incredibly naive.

[blacklabs]

Just found a full version of the NBC interview on Youtube that is not blocked, so just made a coffee and sitting down to watch now

[ZRabbits]

My hats off to Mr. Snowden. This took a lot of guts. As someone who is a whistleblower, I've been there. Maybe not to the extreme that he is, but I know what political power can do. And it's never good for the people.

If you really want to take this down to brass tacks, it goes like this. Mr. Snowden did not obtain people's data illegally. The NSA did. They are the ones that destroyed or blew up your Constitutional rights. And someone who is on the list and being watched, good luck.

KAZ

[voodoo]

I have seen a few situations firsthand at my previous workplace of "whistleblowers" in action. In all those cases, the reason for the whistleblowing was due to sour grapes meaning the people were disgruntled and only blew the whistle because something ticked them off/usually it was something like unfair promotion or sexual misconduct/jealousy. Snowden came across as pretty smart/intellectual. Those are the worst because they make the best liars My biggest problem is he left the country and any of those governments could confiscate whatever secrets he had. If you want to whistleblow, imo, you need to stick around to face the situation! Him running just shows in my mind he is guilty.

[ZRabbits]

I have seen a few situations firsthand at my previous workplace of "whistleblowers" in action. In all those cases, the reason for the whistleblowing was due to sour grapes meaning the people were disgruntled and only blew the whistle because something ticked them off/usually it was something like unfair promotion or sexual misconduct/jealousy. Snowden came across as pretty smart/intellectual. Those are the worst because they make the best liars My biggest problem is he left the country and any of those governments could confiscate whatever secrets he had. If you want to whistleblow, imo, you need to stick around to face the situation! Him running just shows in my mind he is guilty.

Would you stick around? If he had, he would have had an "accident". Believe me, a naive stay-at-home mom, worried about a superfund discharge going safely through our sewer system. Knew about Love Canal, so thought "maybe" not a good idea. Was told prove it by Federal, State, County and Local officials. I did, along with proving the lie that it was "naturally occurring" uranium, but actually Nike sweeps of radioactive material. Also showed where the initial capping was compromised because those doing the work decided substandard clay could help cut the corners of the expense, lol. Do you know what happened to me, because I stayed around? My husband's business was ruined, my son was attacked at home and when he went to school, and I was called "nuts". Actually the township spent money to prove it. It's been 12 years since I stood up and proved my point, and to this day, I still have people come up to us and thank us. And I'm still considered and on the list of "domestic terrorist". lol. No health studies, big time autism rate, cancer rate. AND, New Jersey drinking water standards, you can now have a little uranium in your water, as this superfund site sits in our main water supply here.

We need to know what OUR government is doing. Those who try to show us, shouldn't have their life threatened or put on a list as an "enemy of the state".

KAZ

[voodoo]

Yes, I would stick around! just like you did and same as that Dr that broke the VA scandal.

[ZRabbits]

Yes, I would stick around! just like you did and same as that Dr that broke the VA scandal.

Be perfectly honest, wish I didn't stick around. Sad to say, when my Son was sick with Leukemia, there were people (adults) laughing and hoping he would suffer and die. All because of his mom opened her mouth with facts. They said "sins of the mother". That part kills me.

And whats the worse, nothing has changed! Wonder if that Dr's fight for the VA will change anything? Doubt it.

KAZ