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.
@ AlcAnon
I’ve seen the name in print a couple of times but have (or should I say, had) no idea who he is. Is he of literary merit?
There is also a Hunter Davis (Davies?) who write for some English Sunday newspaper, I think.
Even God can’t help you and I’m as concerned about Dreolins treatment here.
But I can’t waste the time anymore for unprincipled nipicking from the non participants here, because I
had some refreshing hard physical labour today, so you wreckers of Craigs blog can play with yourselfs without my input.
Haderlumpen!
“I’m as concerned about Dreolins treatment here.”
well, it’s good to hear you say it.
What will ‘wreck’ this blog, or any meeting, is if people do not keep to their own standards. It was entirely silly to see that poster claiming to engage with politeness, only to hurl an equally silly german insult at you a second later; by their works shall ye know them and all that. But it is nowhere near at the level of abuse that was directed at him, and nowhere near the abuse that has been heaped on others. ‘Sides’ are not really relevant.
Habb,
http://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/feb/22/guardianobituaries.booksobituaries
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4291311.stm
wreckers and haderlumps the lot of you trolls, desdpicable wreckers of Craigs blog.
TC v Ingo Nevermind , OBJECTIVITY v OBJECTIONABLE
Ergo the reason for the ziofuckwit settlers and their tactics to stop any kind of meaningful debate.
The usual whines and moans filling the threads, as before, and the nice little get together of the villageC aka techniC talking to themselves, and moans galore.
Change is about the destruction of the current order of the sacred cows, and these fucking useless reactionaries are fully aware, bent on trying to stop the tide of time and change.
Technicolour: “I remember that he gave a perfectly logical reason for coming across that Sf post”
I bet salesmen love knocking on your door, you seem to be a sucker for any unproveable claim; a bit like ex-Mod Jon who felt he could actually confirm that the StormFront Post wasn’t by the Habbu-Clown Troll, guess he must have used special ESP powers for that one !
Technicolour; “And you’re seriously trying to tell me that the snarking and snidery are coming from Dreoilin?
Seeing as you often engaged in it yourself, it’s no wonder you can’t realize it; your perception awareness is only matched by the bluntness of your intelligence.
Mary:”‘I’m off’, that is until Craig posts again and the trolls lose their current ascendancy”
Don’t be fooled by the rash of new trolls, it still just the same two or three sad saps, taking advantage of no Mod to sock-puppeting like crazy.
Habbu-Clown Troll: “The post at 01h42, although signed Mary, is obviously not from Mary (style, time of night, etc…..)”
LOL ! No flys on you Sherlock ! You & your great intellect are wasted here, and why exactly are you here ? Do you often gate-crash where you have been banned ?
Habbu-Clown Troll: “Must we all have to put up with this interminable dialogue between Ben Franklin and AlcAnon on someone called Hunter Thompson?”
No you can always go into an online private session with your devoted Village acolyte. We have to suffer Trolls engaging in mutual jerking circles, the Village Idiot or Angry Aussie trying to pass themselves of as serious debaters, as well as having constant inane commentary from the empty headed Technicolour.
“I bet salesmen love knocking on your door, you seem to be a sucker for any unproveable claim; a bit like ex-Mod Jon who felt he could actually confirm that the StormFront Post wasn’t by the Habbu-Clown Troll, guess he must have used special ESP powers for that one !”
Right, nothing like guilt by association/ridiculous insults
“Seeing as you often engaged in it yourself, it’s no wonder you can’t realize it; your perception awareness is only matched by the bluntness of your intelligence.”
Ah, more accusations of being stupid.
“Don’t be fooled by the rash of new trolls, it still just the same two or three sad saps, taking advantage of no Mod to sock-puppeting like crazy.”
There’s ESOl, who is Anon, and making interesting points – perhaps you’d like to address them if you disagree? No? Just random accusations of ‘troll’, what a surprise. There’s RD – and ditto?
Oh, and ending on more accusations that I’m stupid. Is this really how you persuade people of your point of view? Or do you feel so secure in a cabal that you don’t have to?
Technicolour: “Oh, and ending on more accusations that I’m stupid”
Here’s an easy question for you to prove that you are not stupid;
What do you call people who keep making stupid statments ?
a) Clever
b) Stupid
I wouldn’t be so fucking rude, repeatedly at least. Because that would be trolling.
Technicolour: “I wouldn’t be so fucking rude, repeatedly at least. Because that would be trolling.”
That’s probably the smartest thing I seen you post yet !
The blog is in serious danger of going off the rails entirely and of losing all credibility.
A quick look over the last few pages would seem to indicate that Fedup and Macky are mainly responsible. May I therefore appeal to them to post more succinctly and to avoid vulgar language and, above all, to post some substance (even the dialogue on Hunter Thompson or posts about missing asteroids which may – or may not – have narrowly missed the earth/sun/Alpha Centauri are preferable to the rubbish they are currently shoving in our direction). If they are unable or unwilling to do so, then I’d recommend everyone simply not to respond whatever the provocation; deprive them of oxygen and they will surely fall silent. Let’s try it and see what happens, shall we?
AA; The New Journalism was quite a phenom; raised a few hackles, but it is right on point.
‘Objectivity’ doesn’t mean what most people think it means.
“”He Was a Crook” (Nixon obituary), Rolling Stone (June 16, 1994)
Some people will say that words like scum and rotten are wrong for Objective Journalism — which is true, but they miss the point. It was the built-in blind spots of the Objective rules and dogma that allowed Nixon to slither into the White House in the first place. He looked so good on paper that you could almost vote for him sight unseen. He seemed so all-American, so much like Horatio Alger, that he was able to slip through the cracks of Objective Journalism. You had to get Subjective to see Nixon clearly, and the shock of recognition was often painful.
Forgot to change your moniker to villageC there. The nastier alter ego, to keep this one sweet and made of cotton candy and shit.
“Is he of literary merit?”
Not so you would notice…
hasbawanker habbakooky anon 1 , 2, and 3, the kicked out and unwanted guest now returns to sit in judgement, now that is fucking rich coming form a professional troll.
Ah our village wise crack and election specialist with another valuable comment.
Come on Villager how many times did you put your money were your mouth is, or should be? You are allowed to vote yet? are you? With your immense and valuable experience you surely have offered your fellow neighbours a chance for an alternative from this party political gonzon show?
Come on, so many posts of your immense wisdom and erectile grandstanding, your truncheon critiques and fine snide worthy of a Smiegel.
Give us your personal campaigns slogan then? was it ‘out with the village, in with the Villager’?
Well in the absence of any real record in elections, just mouth, I give you a little secret which will play next year, because some thinks they can romp home into a lucrative job in the EU.
Did you know that Rupert Read is standing as the Greens eastern region prime candidate?
Rupert is a philosiphising professor from UEA, Ole.
Same Rupert who, as a Green Candidate, agreed to keep the rector of Dundee, an Independent candidate, shut out of an education debate organised for BBC clip some minutes long, an action by a UCU member against a fellow UCU member, an academic who read Machiavelli as a guide book to politics and thought himself better than another academic.
Off course this happened after Craig was falsely vilified by all and sundry and, although not much wrods were exchanged, a bit like an agreement with the establishment as it rules, a kick in the arse for a fellow union member.
So, thats Rupert, he’s also not impartial to round Robin letters denouncing people who suffer from a mental condition, but, and this is the crux, were also highly intelligent and active in the Green Party.
Did you know all this Villager? Or is your expertise in party political election rigging, or is all this talk bluster, just make belief. You can tell us.
BTW. your silly outing of peoples first names as a form of one line attack is derisably cheap and laughable at the same time, everyone know my name already, nothing about me is secret.
You on the other hand are a hiding little scoundrel who should have to register a valid email and have it verified before you are allowed to regurgitate your supper here. What an amateur…
Thank you, Edward…
http://news.yahoo.com/us-spy-agency-recorded-millions-phone-calls-made-060921110.html
Fedup/Passerby – projection, obviously.
Macky: perhaps; though it does of course mean that you’re hoist by your own petard.
Hunter S Thompson was a master of the use of language. So yes, of ‘literary merit’; though that’s far to pusillanimous a term for such a craftsman.
*too*, damn. I can hear Jane Austen tittering.
Much concern-trolling lamenting how off-topic we are on this thread. The angst over efficacy reminds me of Bohner’s crocodile tears.
Have our concern-trolls already congratulated Snowden on his present award?
Ben 21 Oct, 2013 – 8:48 pm, Do you know who was the 1000 millionth lucky person who was the winner of spied on by NSA trophy then?
I dunno, fedup, who?
Technicolour: “Hunter S Thompson was a master of the use of language. So yes, of ‘literary merit’; though that’s far to pusillanimous a term for such a craftsman”
+
“*too*, damn. I can hear Jane Austen tittering”
Oh cut it out, you’re killing me ! You trying to sound intellectual is even funnier than Villager trying to pass himself off as a serious debater !
Full marks for being funny, real shame that it’s unintentional though !
@ AlcAnon
Thanks for that puff for Hunter Thompson. But I am not altogether convinced of his apparent merits. To take some of what you quote :
1/. “chief ingredient in the new journalism of the 1960s and 70s.”
Whatever this “new journalism” was, it isn’t clear whether it was a phenomenon the 1960s and 1970s and then died a natural death or whether it is still extant?
2/. “The respectable, detached, objective tone demanded by mainstream American journalism”
I’m not convinced that it’s necessarily a bad thing if journalism is detached and objective (especially not the latter) – would it be better if it were partisan and subjective, at least in its function of reporting news. And the claim that that style of journalism was “a powerful ingredient in the banality and dishonesty of American life” would need a lot more explanation and teasing out in order to make the connection convincing.
3/. “It was the failure of journalism to make sense of the 1960s”
I’m not sure that it’s the job of journalists to make sense of any decade; journalists work in real time and making sense of a decade is, surely, the job of historians?
4/. “If the quotes he had to hand were boring, he made up new ones; if the setting lacked somewhat in vividness, that, too, could be fixed. Fantasies were every bit as useful a foundation for his articles as any sober fetish with “the facts”.”
Well, I think that that speaks for itself, doesn’t it? I vaguely recalls Elie Wiesel with his ‘things can be true although they didn’t happen’ or however it went (don’t have the exact words at hand).
So, in summary – and on the assumption that the article you quote accurately sums up Mr Thompson – I feel no reason to feel ashamed that I had never heard of the fellow….quite the opposite, actually 🙂
At least have the courtesy of attributing who you are stealing the lines from! Your mate Jon used to encourage you villageC/techniC but that is another story.
You are useless in both cases anyway, but carry on sucking up to dreo V!
I see the ozzie nunce has joined in the help little old ladies campaign too.
No more Jon, who are going to complain to now?
Oh, Macky, just came back to see you’re still going on the ‘stupid’ insults. Is that good for you? Do you think it’s clever? Bless. If it wasn’t for the fact that you are obviously enjoying yourself I’d be quite furious on behalf of people who didn’t get a first from Oxbridge, you patronising, last-resort intellectualist. But carry on with your ‘man of the people’ stuff – it’s much easier than having to actually argue, or substantiate a point.
“Full marks for being funny,…”
I’m missing the humor. Is there any humor here? Slag isn’t much good for anything. Maybe you could forge a hammer with pot metal, but no nail would live in fear.
Ben 21 Oct, 2013 – 8:58 pm,
I don’t know either, thought you would know, being an ‘murkan and all that. We must wait until the next Snowden leaks that one out. I wonder if the winner will be getting a Chevy truck or some shit, or will the FBI frame him/her with swearing allegiance to alKaiddy and going to the mall intent on buying a terroristic uniform.