Edward Snowden Gets Sam Adams Award 3361

 in Uncategorized by

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.

Allowed HTML - you can use: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

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

1 … 45 46 47 48 49 … 113
  • ESLO

    PS to the trolls. I have NEVER impersonated anyone in real life including here on this blog.

    So “April Showers” “Flaming June” were someone else?

  • technicolour

    @Villager: as Mary and everyone else well knows Dreoilin does not side with anyone – she calls it as it is.

    @Mary; love the serene spectacle of you posting away regardless. Has it occurred to you that your attitude – vengeance for perceived insults/damage – is part of the motivation behind the attacks on Palestine and Gaza? How do you expect ‘common decency’ to prevail there, when you realise what it is, and refuse to employ it here?

  • A Node

    @ Jemand 21 Oct, 2013 – 5:00 am

    “What I find most disappointing in some of the other reasonably intelligent and moderate regulars is their passive assent of Fedup’s consistently hostile, offensive and obnoxious posts. I am unsure whether it is because they approve of his dirty work or that he serves a useful function as St.Mary’s thuggish goon. In any case, unlike the obviously false slurs against Dreoilin, the silence is revealing.
    Do any have the courage to speak their minds? Or will good men do nothing?”

    I scan everybody’s posts.
    Now and again, Fedup says something useful/insightful. The rest of the time I scroll past him.
    Now and again, you say something interesting/insightful. The rest of the time I scroll past you.
    Your read:scroll ratio is no better than Fedup’s.

  • Sofia Kibo Noh

    ESLO. 11 12am

    “Sofia

    If you want examples just read this weekend’s contributions with an open mind.”

    Please help me out with a specific example. Really only one will do. After all I’m a bit thick and I’m only 14.

  • technicolour

    @Mary: ‘making trouble’? Have you seen what kind of rubbish people are posting under the guise of supporting you? Have you even reread your own posts? As for not ‘adding fuel’ to fires – how about trying to put them out, instead of sitting back and watching them burn.

  • ESLO

    Sofia

    I am not into the spoonfeeding school of education – particularly for those who refuse to grow up.

  • Jemand

    Guano, do you think Jud@ism has nothing to do with J3wish nationalism? That would then make you the Joker.

    Why should we tolerate an Islamic state any more than we should tolerate a Z!onist state? For any state that is theocratic, or preserves a dominant role in its body politic for subscribers to a favoured religion, it must necessarily be oppressive of rival religions. Islamic states are fundamentally oppressive and for every cry against Z!onism, there ought to be a cry just as loud against Islamism.

  • Sofia Kibo Noh

    ELSO.

    You are very mean not to help a juvenile.

    So, I just checked as you suggested earlier and you know what? You must be right!

    Here’s one. Clearly a raving anti-semite.

    Oh. It’s me! 6 31pm yesterday.

    “Just a reminder here that there are plenty of Jewish people who don’t automatically support the criminal actions of the state of Israel.

    Getting Israelis to accept the truth of the origin of their state “

    Those people at jfjfp.com should be ashamed of themselves.

    and here’s another from your usual target,

    Mary at 6 49pm

    Exactly Sofia. The jfjfp people are usually at the protests along with Orthodox Jews. I have three Jewish friends who support the Palestinian cause and who despair at what goes on in Israel.

    How can anyone show so much hate towards Jews?

    And to think I never noticed it until now. Maybe when I grow up I’ll get clever like you. Thanks.

  • Villager

    Technicolour
    21 Oct, 2013 – 11:16 am
    “@Villager: as Mary and everyone else well knows Dreoilin does not side with anyone – she calls it as it is.”

    TC, I know that very, very well. As well as I know Mary’s combative vindictiveness, as enshrined in her “Common decency would normally prevail but I do not feel very benevolent at the moment…”

    Btw, please note, after your highlight of Dreo’s treatment, I was the first to request Mary of her observations, knowing fully well she was going to thumb her nose at Dreoilin.

    And as for Dreo, and the record, I made my position very clear at:

    Villager
    19 Oct, 2013 – 11:34 am

    “TC, i empathise with all that you say. All one can say is that people think and live in ‘patterns’ which are very hard to break. You’re another good soul and in your compassion you gave too much leeway to Fedup the other day.

    As for Dreoilin of course everything that was said was utter bunkum. Her credibility, founded on her depth and balance, stands head and shoulders above the usual offenders here. Best not to engage with them?! Water off a duck’s back.”

  • technicolour

    On Topic (I know, I know): Sofia posted this from the US Bill of Rights: it’s a good reminder for everyone, wherever they are:

    “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

  • Villager

    It’s not about ‘rights’, its about OBJECTIVITY and BALANCE.

    Isn’t this why this thread so often appears out of balance?

  • Mary

    ‘PS to the trolls. I have NEVER impersonated anyone in real life including here on this blog.
    So “April Showers” “Flaming June” were someone else?
    I was expecting that!’

    How can you impersonate yourself? Doh! They were pseudonyms.

    That was a tactic by me in an attempt to avoid the attentions of a vile and unpleasant bullying troll. It failed. In fact I think it was Dreoilin who came up, breathless from running, that it was me.

    btwe who is ELSO? There are so many different names lately to the extent that the these latter pages of this blog are a joke with exceptions. As someone else keeps saying, ‘I’m off’, that is until Craig posts again and the trolls lose their current ascendancy. Other people who might to post are probably being put off by the current nonsense.

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)

    The post at 01h42, although signed Mary, is obviously not from Mary (style, time of night, etc…..)

    I don’t know if the real Mary is upset by that impersonation, but if she is then I would (for once) strongly sympathize with her (you may remember that someone once tried the same trick on me….)

  • technicolour

    @Mary: ‘her’ spat, is it. When she’s being attacked on your behalf. And you’re approving it. Yuck.

  • Villager

    So, maybe, we now have a clue as to just who that impersonator might’ve been. Jon was stubbornly quiet when he was repeatedly asked if it were a regular contributor….

  • Villager

    Mary: “In fact I think it was Dreoilin who came up, breathless from running, that it was me.”

    Maybe she was happy to see you back?

  • technicolour

    @Mary: “In fact I think it was Dreoilin who came up, breathless from running, that it was me.” – in fact, I think it was not, since I remember her responding to this suggestion by someone else. And you’re seriously trying to tell me that the snarking and snidery are coming from Dreoilin?

    I think it’s wise to stop digging, when you’re in a hole.

  • Passerby

    Interesting that since the departure of the mod from his position, the participants are too busy delineating the groups involved and a certain gang of tag team members, are busy fighting a double campaign; one in which they are too busy exonerating and supporting their own tag team members. On the other in which they are too busy denouncing and haranguing at their perceived nemesis, and inviting people to ostracise them.

    The same techniques as before, to lean on the mod, and to kick up an almighty fight, and compel the mod to delete the offending posts. The departure of the mod, evidently has no bearing on their modus operandi, which itself is telling of the intransigence of attitudes and mindsets to cope with a new and emergent dynamics.

    Fact that this opportunity provided on this blog is a patent example of a self governing arena, that the contrived constructs designed to limit the interactions, the range, the scope and the contents of any debate under-way for the benefit of certain sacred cows no longer applying. This has shown the inadequacy of the understanding that each entity is responsible for their own actions, and they need not explain their conduct, or have it explained through their proxies and friends.

    Those who read this blog are fully aware of who is in the tag team, and who is not. Further, the constant attempts in perpetuating the same modes of interaction only leads to the scroll button doing overtime.

    In short who was it who said; You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

  • Jemand

    Sofia DKN, forget fracking – that hurts people more than it hurts the global ecosystem. Over-fishing and oceanic pollution as we read in links posted here by regulars a couple of pages back, is far more insidious and destructive. Add ocean acidification from rising atmospheric CO2 and we now have a dying ocean that will not replenish itself at the rate that it is currently being ravaged. But who cares when there are more important things like gay marriage to attend to.

1 … 45 46 47 48 49 … 113

Comments are closed.