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.
Jemand,
The only poster obsessed with Stormfront appears to be you.
I wonder why?
“Ok Fred, you are now a fully fledged troll, congratulations !”
Beats being a liar and a cheat.
How amusing – or if you prefer, disgracefully elitist – to keep accusing me of being stupid. Your ‘comments’ are nothing like as moderate as the term suggests. Your ‘comments’ are an endless series of vicious attacks on the good name and reputation of some of Craig’s longest term supporters.
Why would you do that, ‘Macky’?
Fred: “Beats being a liar and a cheat”
Swapping hurling abuse & swear words for turning into a troll, is actually, believe it or not, a deterioration, not an improvement. You lost the argument with me over your tactic for dealing for trolls, but you couldn’t do you usual swearing & insulting trick, so you grasped the troll’s smearing tactic instead, so transparent that it’s pitiful.
Jemand: “Makes you wonder if there are other fake comments ‘out there’ in Mary’s name that we haven’t discovered yet”
Should be so easy then to find something posted under “Mary” that resembles something ever posted under “Macky”, or vice versa; so ahead then & see if you find anything at all that resembles, even in the very slightest way.
Technicolour: “Why would you do that, ‘Macky’?”
You really are the most tiresome bore; my comments are in English, if I am criticizing somebody the reason will be clear in the context of the comment; if you want help in basic reading & comprehension, then refer me to the comment that you are having trouble with, and I will explain it using very basic language.
@Macky
You are lying cheating shit stirring scum.
The evidence is all there and it is conclusive.
Now crawl back under a rock where you belong.
So now more additions to Macky’s ‘troll’ list – apart from, of course, ‘Mary’ and, the consistently non-abusive and anti-swearing Fedup.
Why, in concert with Fedup, would you viciously attack the good name and reputation of Craig’s longest term supporters here, ‘Macky’?
ישראל בכל מקום (how do you pronounce that?) That’s why I try not to get involved in the uber-personal stuff — one never knows when a diversion is in progress. It also wastes mental energy, which I can ill afford.
There are people here I feel a connection with, across a range of topics, but the rest is just flim-flam.
Wam bam thank you ma’am!
“Makes you wonder if there are other fake comments ‘out there’ in Mary’s name that we haven’t discovered yet.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have no idea whether or not Macky posted as Mary, and don’t really care very much,
BUT
several of “Mary”‘s recent posts haven’t actually sounded like Mary, have they. Different style, use of expressions not used before and personal argument rather than the usual cut and paste.
Now, it may be that Mary has raised her game, in which case I welcome it. But is the recent “Mary” really Mary?
** Same comment applies to the posts from “Ben”. Ben Franklin or someone else?
*********
As for the Macky / Fred road show : zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Both Class A plonkers.
Techincolour: “Why, in concert with Fedup, would you viciously attack the good name and reputation of Craig’s longest term supporters here, ‘Macky’?”
Perhaps I’ve got you wrong in thinking you are just stupid, as you are now showing troll-like signs; I’m a equal opportunity critic, newbies or long term posters, Mods or ex-Mods, if somebody attracts my criticism I will say so, and the reason will be apparent to all, except to the most dense of posters.
Jives
“Jemand,
The only poster obsessed with Stormfront appears to be you.
I wonder why?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You don’t seem to be doing too badly yourself, Jeeves.
Anyway : you’ve been mercifully silent for a while – what ill wind blew you back in? Spot of disruption?
Fred: “You are lying cheating shit stirring scum”
Too late to revert back to type Fred ! You’ve lost all credibility, and are now just a pathetic troll.
Further to Craig’s earlier post, http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/01/defend-stephen-sizer/
the hounding of Rev Stephen Sizer has ended.
24 October 2013
Vicar Stephen Sizer ‘has no regrets’ after Jewish complaint
The Rt Rev Christopher Hill welcomed the outcome
A Church of England vicar has said he has no regrets over comments he made about Israeli policies.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews had made a complaint against the Rev Stephen Sizer, pastor of Christ Church in Virginia Water, Surrey.
It claimed his blog made anti-semitic statements, which he denied, and published links to racist websites.
Guildford Diocese said the complaint, made in October 2012, had now been resolved in a face-to-face meeting.
/..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-24654232
Mr Sizer’s website and blog will be given the once over by the anti- Semitic police.
‘Dr Sizer did not accept his behaviour was unbecoming to a clerk in holy orders, but agreed to have three people read his website and blog to check their content and monitor links to websites.’
Looks like the net is closing in on Macky and his friends. Incidentally, has anyone actually met Mary in the ‘real’ world?
The senior troll takes the biscuit. Please be assured that I am Mary, I post as Mary, and I have never posted as ‘Macky’ or as anyone else. It is becoming quite ridiculous.
“I’m a equal opportunity critic”: your posts are variously aggressive, slanderous, repetitive, hate-filled, hysterical and destructive. They are directed at any poster who you feel you can bully, while ignoring others – see Fedup – who you feel you cannot. You cannot possibly think this is a valuable contribution to any board.
As for anyone else who is supporting this kind of behaviour – and the behaviour of Fedup – simply because in the past you have objected to Habbakuk, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Macky
“Yes “forefathers”, implying you are referring to those being British Born,..”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ‘implication’ is all in your mind, Macky, as my recent clarification should have made clear.
If, say, an Afghan or Kurd comes to the UK and is at some stage naturalised, ie, becomes a UK citizen, what on earth is the objection to using the word “forefathers” in relation to someone not British born?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
More generally, would you agree that someone who has come to the UK and subseqently acquired UK citizenship should be stripped of the said citizenship in the event of committing a heinous crime…and should be deported? A simple yes or no would be enough, because I know you’re very busy arguing with other prize chump Fred.
***************
Always look on the bright (and polite) side of life!
“Please be assured that I am Mary, I post as Mary, and I have never posted as ‘Macky’ or as anyone else.”
Nobody accused you of posting as Macky, Mary.
@ Mary
OK, OK, I wasn’t trying to get at you (and I certainly didn’t suggest you were posting at Macky); your recent posts just seem different from the former ones. But as I said before, if you’ve evolved, then all the better.
Jives, how long have you been misspelling “harassment”?
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2011/11/gould-werritty-plot-finally-mainstream/#comment-331312
Baroness Tonge’s “Israelophobia”
http://rehmat1.com/2013/10/25/the-israelophobia/
Does anyone else think that “Mary” doesn’t really sound like the old Mary?
Or “Ben” like Ben Franklin?
I don’t know about any change in Ben’s style, but Mary has posted some Jewish friendly comments in what appears to be an effort to soften her anti-Jewish image.
Nor have I evolved! Perhaps the perception of the chief troll has altered. I feel exactly the same about the oppression of the Palestinians as I have always done.
I said.. I have never posted as ‘Macky’ or as anyone else.” (that is apart from when I was April Showers and Flaming June when I was attempting to avoid the trolling).
Just as I say to my dog, ‘Drop it’. It’s so boring.
Nope, doesn’t sound like Mary to me either.
Here’s a ‘visitor’ we can do without.
‘Mosque bomber Pavlo Lapshyn given life for murder
Pavlo Lapshyn told police he wanted to “increase racial conflict” in the community
A Ukrainian student has been jailed for at least 40 years for the murder of an 82-year-old man and plotting explosions near mosques in racist attacks.
Pavlo Lapshyn stabbed Mohammed Saleem in Small Heath, Birmingham on 29 April, five days after arriving in the UK.
On Monday, Lapshyn, 25, admitted murder as well as plotting to cause explosions near mosques in Walsall, Tipton and Wolverhampton in June and July.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-24675040
Instead we are keeping him in prison for 40 years. How about deporting him back to a prison in the Ukraine?
Habbu-Clown Troll: “The ‘implication’ is all in your mind, Macky”
Not so, it’s there in black & white in your comments, as will be obvious to any fair-minded person. Nothing to say about your apparent “error” in thinking that the men involved were not British born ?
Habbu-Clown Troll: More generally, would you agree that someone who has come to the UK and subseqently acquired UK citizenship should be stripped of the said citizenship in the event of committing a heinous crime…and should be deported?
Of course not, for two reasons; 1) it will means the undermining the meaning of granting UK citizenship, as it will not be the same UK citizenship that native born citizens enjoy, who cannot be stripped of & deported, 2) it will mean that the Justice System will be corrupted because for the same crimes some will serve prison time, but others will be doubly punished as they will serve prison time and additionally, be deported.
Although you are nothing more than a malicious troll, you at least have the intelligence to sometimes make a half sensible point worth replying to, in contrast to those quickly proving to be effectively trolls through sheer stupidity & petty malice. A honest thief is still a thief though !
There seem to be some shenanigans going on, what with Macky posting as Mary (only explanation is that he has used that name before) and now Mary no longer sounding like Mary (gone is the cold, hard Stalinist tone a la Rosa Klebb), I definitely sense foul play.
“Eric Schlosser on US nuclear weapons: ‘People are getting sloppy’
“Q&A: Author of Command and Control discusses recent incidents involving those responsible for the US nuclear arsenal”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/25/eric-schlosser-nuclear-weapons-command-control
—————
“Just as I say to my dog, ‘Drop it’. It’s so boring.”
I hope that’s directed at Macky, Mary. He’s been running amok here for days.
And now ‘Macky’, having viciously attacked, insulted and slandered anyone and everyone who he feels ‘supported’ Habbakuk, in the extraordinarily fascinating and ever so long-running ‘Habbakuk v Mary’ stakes, is now making friendly little noises at him. Presumably, for consistency’s sake, Mary/Sofia/whoever will now start being rather rude to Macky. What a wonderful web you lot have woven. Well done!