Edward Snowden Gets Sam Adams Award 3361


Ray McGovern and the Sam Adams party have presented the Sam Adams award to Edward Snowden.  I am delighted.  This from Ray’s account of the event:

In brief remarks from his visitors, Snowden was reassured — first and foremost — that he need no longer be worried that nothing significant would happen as a result of his decision to risk his future by revealing documentary proof that the U.S. government was playing fast and loose with the Constitutional rights of Americans.

Even amid the government shutdown, Establishment Washington and the normally docile “mainstream media” have not been able to deflect attention from the intrusive eavesdropping that makes a mockery of the Fourth Amendment. Even Congress is showing signs of awaking from its torpor.

In the somnolent Senate, a few hardy souls have gone so far as to express displeasure at having been lied to by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and NSA Director Keith Alexander — Clapper having formally apologized for telling the Senate Intelligence Committee eavesdropping-related things that were, in his words, “clearly erroneous” and Alexander having told now-discredited whoppers about the effectiveness of NSA’s intrusive and unconstitutional methods in combating terrorism.

Coleen Rowley, the first winner of the Sam Adams Award (2002), cited some little-known history to remind Snowden that he is in good company as a whistleblower — and not only because of previous Sam Adams honorees. She noted that in 1773, Benjamin Franklin leaked confidential information by releasing letters written by then-Lt. Governor of Massachusetts Thomas Hutchinson to Thomas Whatley, an assistant to the British Prime Minister.

The letters suggested that it was impossible for the colonists to enjoy the same rights as subjects living in England and that “an abridgement of what are called English liberties” might be necessary. The content of the letters was so damaging to the British government that Benjamin Franklin was dismissed as colonial Postmaster General and had to endure an hour-long censure from British Solicitor General Alexander Wedderburn.

There has been a determined attempt by government to justify the need to intercept everybody’s communications, all the time.  We have, yet again, had MI5 claim there are many thousand violent Islamic terrorists running around the UK, (yet somehow not managing to kill anybody).  The cry of “paedophiles” is raised, as always.  I can imagine them suggesting the entire population be shot dead, and justifying it as making sure they get the paedophiles.  The tabloids would go with that.

There still had not been a single credible claim by the mainstream media that any named individual has died, despite that contingency being trotted out all the time as the reason Snowden and Manning should not have revealed state crimes and abuse of power.  I am hopeful that, with the internet still largely free to the dissemination of information, out next massive whistleblower is only weeks away.


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3,361 thoughts on “Edward Snowden Gets Sam Adams Award

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  • Guano

    Rifkind had to undergo the plastic surgery all politicians have to have, to force the sides of their mouths up into a permanent smile. It must have taken years of practise to spout shit and lies while grinning like a cheshire cat. Did the torture of the face bring about the torture of the mind that is vampire Tory Zionist policy, or did the need to hide the vampire teeth force him to twist his mouth to cover them? Jack Straw has the same problem so it can’t be an ethnic or political problem. The lust for power automatically extends the fangs. Fang + empire = vampire.
    Hell is full of vampire women , whisky, gin and vice.
    Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if the whisky doesn’t get them the women must

  • Sofia Kibo Noh

    Jemand.

    Thanks for that amazing bit of news.

    So, some of Australia’s First People are homosexual, and, wait for it, some aren’t!

    Well who would have thought it?

    Now, can you explain why that has relevance enough to post here, ‘cos I’m baffled.

  • Mary

    It was actually the author of the comment @4.08am who introduced the subject of homosexuality vis a vis ‘Islam and indigenous culture’. Another smear there against Muslims and non whiteys I guess.

    My comment was ironic, not seen by that author?

  • Jemand

    My, my.. so I am smearing by linking to a news item? But the news service is not smearing by publishing the same item? Hah! What a strange, ungenerous, paranoid woman you are Mary. You link ad nauseum to every bit of negative Jewish/Israeli news there is, however vague the negative implication, and then have the audacity to paint others as racist. I flushed you out with that one. You simply cannot accept that Aboriginal people of Oz are not the homogenous victims of perpetual white oppression that your propaganda service would have us believe.

    Yes, Sofia, there are gay and non-gay indigenous folk. Get over yourself. The same with Mary, you cannot handle the complicated reality that there is news about Indig people that doesn’t fit with your sneering anti-caucasian narrative. Some are gay, some are Muslim, some campaign on traditional culture and many argue with each other about all sorts of things. It’s a pity you’re not interested in learning anything.

    And again, the best reply comes from Guano who reminds us that there is no place for practising homosexuals in Islam. What do the rest of you pro-Islam apologists make of that? Now don’t choke on your own embarrassment when you spit back your replies. The best comment that hasn’t any trace of hypocrisy will win a kewpie doll.

  • Sofia Kibo Noh

    Jemand. 10 36am

    “…you cannot handle the complicated reality that there is news about Indig people that doesn’t fit with your sneering anti-caucasian narrative.”

    Dat ‘cos my alwis suntan stop brain work.

    Like wot you eksplane befoe.

    Jemand. 1 00pm. Oct 27.

    “We get that from… disgruntled non-whites like you all the time.“

  • Miss Anne Thrope

    My appetite was finally returning after hearing about the scandelous affair by the disgusting lying hypocritical filth at News International only to be interrupted by bouts if indigestion after hearing a 64 year old household name from the BBC was arrested in South London as part of Yewtree. It’s not the arrest that causes the problem it is the broad-daylight, in-you-face, illegal attempts to protect the persons identity by the BBC and police. For the police to be able to refuse to name someone they arrested has profound civil liberties issues; are we going to be subject to ‘secret rendition’ in the near future as well?

    I can think of a number of innocent people that were incorrectly/incompetently arrested and the police happily ‘briefing’ the press, a.k.a. The Sun, aka the disgusting lying hypocritical filth that is Brookes and Coulson. To think that Cameron gave him a job in the heart of government, beyond criminal. Hang ’em from a lamp-post.

    Anyway, anyone know who the latest paedo enjoying state protection is?

  • kedem forever

    The Beeb is a symbiotic den of gays and jew devils, each protecting the others back. Thats how savile (and others) got away with buggering small boys for so long despite daily interaction with ChildLine esther rantzen there, saviles back was covered by being an advisor to the Shitsraeli Cabinet ! But gays had better beware, shylock will want his pound of sphincter whilst covering their backs,if they want Gay Pride to become a National Holiday, pink poppies n all ! Its not going to be as cheap as the Gay Marriage quid pro quo.

  • Miss Ane Thrope

    Ah, it’s statred dribbling out onto the net… must be time for a Houseparty in Crinkly Bottom with Mr Blobby, Deal or no deal?

  • kedem forever

    Even lezzy Helen Boaden, who miscalculated the DST on the 911 WTC7 broadcast, can add that up – DOB 1948 must be 64 years of age !! Really the Beeb is a den of falsehood where all the devils have thrived. Gay Marriage in return for institutional antiHamas/Palestinian bias, all paid for by the licence fee.

  • Miss Anne Thrope

    I remember watching this C4 News Report when it was broadcast. Even though it was broadcast during the ad-break for Brass Eye the ‘shock’ of the news, especially as I lived around the corner from Clive Anderson at the time and regularly saw him pootling about, disengaged all my critical thinking – I even seem to remember calling members of the family to the TV, telling them that Clive Anderson was dead. Chris Morris at his best.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtdsXhXiEM

  • Sofia Kibo Noh

    Herbie.

    Thanks.

    “…Chomsky, Corbett and Brand have their own ways of approaching the many challenges we face…”

    I’ve been chewing why Chomsky insists on presenting ready-made conclusions and avoiding discussion on those three issues. (The Fed, JFK and 911)

    The more I think about it the more I can’t see him using that dismissive style when talking about other issues. If anyone can link to examples I’d love to look at them.

    So, whatever the reasons Chomsky has made it clear that he won’t cast the light of his giant intellect on those three issues. The book is closed. Why this is could range from that he genuinely believes what he says to that he is under pressure to stay off the subjects.

    If the Mafia can arrange people’s silence with a handful of photos then so can the spooks.

    Whatever the reasons for Chomsky’s public pronouncements on any issues, we are still left with the responsibility to use our own judgement.

    Encore une fois Vive la Diversité !

  • Jemand

    Sofia, with every post you reveal a lesser part of your intellect. Chomsky, wisely, will not waste time debating on matters that simply cannot be resolved by continued debate in the absence of new information. All he could offer is an opinion which, unlike your opinions, are not the equivalent of factual conclusions. He is humble enough to keep (some) of his opinions to himself. Maybe you could do likewise.

  • Clark

    Ben mentioned a catchphrase I’ve been hearing for a few years:

    “Water is the new oil”

    It’s true that much of the UK is awash with water at present, but back in July I was in Wales, attempting to fix a domestic hot water system with only 1.5 cubic metre of rainwater. My customer had no mains water connection and the house borehole had dried up. Mains water quality was deteriorating in various southern parts of the UK as supplies ran short. The problem is far worse in other parts of the world, so I’ve been wondering why there are wars over hydrocarbons and not so much over water. My speculations so far:

    * Water is needed in much larger quantities than hydrocarbons. It isn’t practical to transport such quantities of water across intercontinental distances, so there’s no point in invading a distant country to exploit its water resources.

    * Hydrocarbon fuel is fundamental to modern military conquest whereas large quantities of water (enough to supply a nation) are not.

    * There already is conflict over water, the most obvious example being that aspect of the Israel / Palestine conflict. I think I have also read of economic competition for water between states in the US.

    * Consumption of hydrocarbon fuel is essential for the transportation and purification of water, whereas only relatively small quantities of clean water are required for the extraction, refining and transport of hydrocarbons.

    Water is more fundamental to life than are hydrocarbons, but hydrocarbons are more fundamental to economic activity than is clean water (in this sense, economic activity and life are opposed at a fundamental level). The observation that wars are fought over oil rather than water would seem to confirm my opinion that modern warfare is mostly an economically-driven phenomenon.

  • Clark

    I think that Chomsky avoids certain issues because they stimulate endless pointless arguments and tend to be divisive. Well, anyway, that’s why I avoid them. It seems better to concentrate on official contradictions that can be conclusively demonstrated. Here’s an example of what I mean:

    http://www.monbiot.com/2007/12/11/rigged/

  • John Goss

    Clark, Monbiot is right, but also wrong. He does not say how leaving fossil fuels in the ground will keep pensioners warm this winter. About carbon capture I know nothing, except it does not appear to be available on a large scale.

    Herbie, apologies. Until I read Sofia’s comment I never realised the Corbett report on Chomsky had been running yesterday. I’m decorating so not a lot of spare time. Chomsky was right that if the Federal Reserve was no longer allowed to print money (that awful false god we all rely on) there would be a worse recession than in the thirties. Unfortunately that is what the world needs. Go back to square one. Make sure the people that have so devastated world economies by their greed never get back into the same position again. Create a people’s bank. This is what the questioner asked Chomsky. Would it not be better if the printing of money was in the hands of the people? The downside is we would all suffer. But as it is we are living a lie. Taxpayers pay for the lie. The money is in the hands of those who least know what to do with it except to create another war hoping that what they steal will set their books right. The longer the recession is left, the harder it will be. The United States is unbelievably in debt and can never pay it off. If it were me, or you, we would go to prison.

  • Trowbridge H. Ford

    Back again, and see that the site is making some progress back to reality, thanks to the efforts of some, and the absence of others.

    Chomsky does not like to get involved in debate, especially about conspiracies, because it will undermine his posture of being above the fray, and dealing with a natural, predictable world.

    What better example of this than Chomsky denying that JFK was assassinated by a CIA-driven plot, and then maintaining that it didn’t make any difference anyway because Kennedy was just like LBJ!

    Still, would like to see more about contemporary ones, like why Chancellor Merkel has been spied upon by the NSA since 2002, and why Snowden has jumped to her defense.

  • Mary

    It would seem that Professor Jake Lynch is not a man to be intimidated for his stand, even by Shurat Noran.

    ‘Jake Lynch and The Australian

    December 7, 2012

    By Associate Professor Jake Lynch, Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney

    A reporter for the Australian newspaper, Christian Kerr, asked me for comment about my support, and that of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, for the campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, and specifically a boycott of Israeli universities.

    The story arose because I declined a request last month by an Israeli academic, Professor Dan Avnon, to name me as a University of Sydney contact on his application for a Sir Zelman Cowen fellowship, which underwrites exchanges between the University of Sydney and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In explaining my decision, I cited CPACS’ policy, which was adopted, and has since been affirmed, by the Centre’s governing Council.

    Mr Kerr asked me specifically whether there were circumstances in which the policy would lead to a distinction between responses to individual academics, and their institutions.

    My reply…………….’

    /..
    http://sydneypeacefoundation.org.au/jake-lynch-and-the-australian/

  • Passerby

    Economy in depression (deny, deny, deny, and repeat after me; Green shoots of recovery and prosperity around the corner). People dying of hypothermia because they cannot afford the hiked up energy prices (deny, deny, deny, and repeat after me; it is their own fault for not changing suppliers and not playing the musical suppliers game,) understandably scant savings, if nay, but the activity will keep them warm anyway, also as per instructions wearing woollies in ones home will help. If no woollies are to be found, or handy then there is always the charity shops to rely on and buy from those.

    While on the subject of charity, those starving working poor (there is the starving non working poor, aka malingering swine who draw dole) there always is the food banks, just so long as a “gubiment agency” (private business making profits for its shareholders/owners) approves the starving poor are actually starving then these can be referred to the relevant food banks, for a few weeks at a time.

    All the while there are new ways of finding taxation revenue streams, today it happens to be the fizzy drinks day, and the relevant bunch of stenographers are sent out to find an obese actress and give her the lines; “I drink 80 cans of coke a day, and I am fifty stones weight on a dieting day, and I will buy cans of cola regardless of its prices”. The voice over then reminds everyone of the responsibilities of the fat people for being fat and using the NHS resources, while everyone else is starving so best tax sugary food!

    Bad news galore about Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson the confidante, and the advisor to the PM, no trouble, hows about immigrants?
    Our £3.7bn a year bill for illegal immigrants

    Illegal immigrants use £3.7billion worth of taxpayer-funded health and education services every year, figures out yesterday suggest.
    Each one taking advantage of Britain’s free NHS and schools costs the Treasury £4,250 per year, a Home Office report reveals.
    The figures underline the true cost of illegal immigration to taxpayers and emerged as ministers admitted their controversial ‘go home’ vans led to just 11 illegals volunteering to leave the country.

    The story in DM (as well as the other outlets), then proceeds to publish a photo of a high speed stretcher (urgency and the strain on the resources for those educated under the Gove tutelage). Followed by a snapshot of a Gypsy family indolently plying their trade of playing accordion. With a subheading there are now 200,000 Roma live in UK, that is in addition to the 870,000 illegal immigrants living in UK.

    Well that ought to do the trick, just reading the comments at the bottom of the story proves how successfully managed racist policy whitepapers can throw the hamburger munchers off the scent of the actualities around them.

  • Mary

    s/be Shurat HaDin

    I see they fight terrrrist threats too, that is apart from intimidating academics who think and speak their minds.

    About Us
    Shurat HaDin—Israel Law Center is an Israeli based civil rights organization and world leader in combating the terrorist organizations and the regimes that support them through lawsuits litigated in courtrooms around the world. Fighting for the rights of hundreds of terror victims, Shurat HaDin seeks to bankrupt the terror groups and grind their criminal activities to a halt – one lawsuit at a time.

    Busy lady here.

    Shurat HaDin’s Founder and Director: Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Esq.

    For the past 12 years, Israeli activist attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, has been leading the struggle to fight the Palestinian and Islamic terrorist organizations in the courtroom. As the director of the Israel based civil rights group, Shurat HaDin – Israel Law Center, she is currently representing hundreds of terror victims in lawsuits and legal actions against the HAMAS, the Palestinian Authority, the PLO, Hizbollah, Iran, Syria, Egypt, North Korea, UBS, The Arab Bank, LCB and the Bank of China. The cases, being litigated in the Israeli, American, Canadian and European courts, allow the victims of terrorism to fight back.

    http://www.israellawcenter.org/page.asp?id=282&show=reports

    It does actually say ‘Esq’. Slight confusion there!

  • Ben

    Clark; There is a similar reaction to water as it used to be with fossil fuels in that it seems to be readily available. Just as oil was seen as abundant and cheap and is now recognized as a non-renewable resource, water will follow. Out of sight, out of mind. You can live without food for 30 days; water 2-3 days and the last leg of dehydration is quite uncomfortable.

  • Mary

    Theft of this land from the native people in NZ was attempted but failed. Good result!

    ‘The town was the scene for very public civil disobedience campaigns in the 1970s. During World War II the New Zealand Government took local ancestral land from indigenous Māori owners to construct a military airfield. When no longer required for defence purposes, part of the land, a 62-acre (250,000 m2) block, was not returned to the owners but became the public Raglan golf course.

    There was widespread protest and attempts to reoccupy the land, and in 1978 20 Māori protesters were arrested on the ninth hole of the golf course. The land was eventually returned to the owners to become a focus for local job-training and employment programs, as well as for the Māori sovereignty movement.’

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raglan,_New_Zealand

  • Ben

    Herbie; The USG’s experiencing a long-deserved global paddling. When the head of a criminal state displaces Obama at the top spot, that’s not an endorsement of the criminal state. But it is a deliberate repudiation of America’s funny business, donchathink?

  • Ben

    “Kennedy helped expose Americans to the scandal of Appalachian poverty, and he planted the seeds for his successor’s War on Poverty. Now, however, few outsiders seem to care, aside from humanitarian agencies and missionaries. Politicians, who once trooped here like pilgrims, come less often, Mayor Reba Honake says. “We don’t have the votes anymore.”

    Jimmy Gianato, 86, keeps a photo of Kennedy from the 1960 campaign in his half-empty grocery as a reminder of better days. “That’s when Washington listened to us,” he says. “Now they ought to send us a casket.”

    Kennedy in West Virginia is a great story of American politics. A candidate found his issue, found his voice, kept his promise. Kennedy, in some sense, became Kennedy.”

    Thanks for the mention of the approaching 50 year anniversary, Kedem. JFK was not the giant we once thought, but he had some good points.

  • 911 Truth

    “Chomsky, wisely, will not waste time debating on matters that simply cannot be resolved by continued debate in the absence of new information.”

    Absence of new information??? You haven’t seen the latest videos of Bibi Netanyahu’s face emerging from the dust, or read into “no planes” theory?

    Sheesh!! Wake up sheeple!

  • Mary

    A review of the new film Philomena. It reveals the truth behind the scandal which the film appears to omit and which has not been fully accepted or acknowledged. From an earlier decade than the Magdelene Sisters. I haven’t seen Philomena.

    ‘The most startling thing to emerge from the premiere last night of Philomena was the lack of any questioning around accountability for the theft of a child, in this instance Anthony Lee from his mother Philomena, who was incarcerated in Sean Ross Abbey for 4 yrs in the 1950s. The whole issue of criminality was avoided throughout the entire film and there was an uncomfortability in the Q & A emanating mostly from Steve Coogan, who was making every effort to be inoffensive in his efforts to appease Catholic sensibilities. It would seem to me that Mr Coogan, producer, co-writer and star of the movie, didn’t really understand the politics of the issue of the banished babies and the criminal trafficking of children for profit out of Ireland and other countries that was perpetrated by the Catholic Church and religious congregations.’

    /..
    http://mannixflynn.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/the-politics-of-philomena/

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philomena_(film)

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