Edward Snowden Gets Sam Adams Award 3361

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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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  • Ben

    ” Wise people let sleeping dogs lie – are you wise?”

    HOLY Jebus on rubber crutches. It would be funny, if it weren’t an epitaph.

  • Jives

    Jack Straw 2002:

    “13 December 2005: “Unless we all start to believe in conspiracy theories and that the officials are lying, that I am lying, that behind this there is some kind of secret state which is in league with some dark forces in the United States …There is simply no truth in the claims that the United Kingdom has been involved in rendition full stop, because we never have been.” – Jack Straw to the Commons foreign affairs committee

    Jack Straw 2012:

    http://antagonise.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/jack-straw-confirms-existence-of-the-uk-secret-state-in-league-with-dark-forces-in-the-united-states/

    **********

    Enjoy your gentle comfy peaceful enriched retirement Jack.

  • Mary

    The letter of a remarkable man to his commanding officer, the content of which can apply to any of the politicians’ offensive wars since it was written.

    ‘Siegfried Sassoon

    I am making this statement as an act of wilful defiance of military authority, because I believe that the war is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power to end it.

    I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers. I believe that this war, upon which I entered as a war of defence and liberation, has now become a war of aggression and conquest. I believe that the purposes for which I and my fellow-soldiers entered upon this war should have been so clearly stated as to have made it impossible to change them, and that, had this been done, the objects which actuated us would now be attainable by negotiation.

    I have seen and endured the sufferings of the troops, and I can no longer be a party to prolong these sufferings for ends which I believe to be evil and unjust.

    I am not protesting against the conduct of the war, but against the political errors and insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed.

    On behalf of those who are suffering now I make this protest against the deception which is being practised on them; also I believe that I may help to destroy the callous complacence with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of agonies which they do not share, and which they have not sufficient imagination to realize.

    • Siegfried Sassoon’s statement to his commanding officer explaining his grounds for refusing to serve further in the army (Bradford Pioneer, 27 July 1917)’

    Poems on war: Andrew Motion is inspired by Siegfried Sassoon
    Motion writes new poem “A Moment of Reflection” in response to Sassoon’s statement of departure from the army
    http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/26/andrew-motion-siegfried-sassoon-war-poem

  • Ben

    http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323308504579085611270637836

    ” Meanwhile, Peking University last week purged economics professor Xia Yeliang, an outspoken liberal, with hardly a peep of protest from American academics.

    “During more than 30 years, no single faculty member has been driven out like this,” Mr. Xia says the day after his sacking from the university, known as China’s best, where he has taught economics since 2000. He’ll be out at the end of the semester. The professor’s case is a window into the Chinese academic world that America’s elite institutions are so eager to join—a world governed not by respect for free inquiry but by the political imperatives of a one-party state. Call it higher education with Chinese characteristics.”

  • guano

    The Muslim status quo thinks that the living word of God, the Holy Qur’an, has been boxed up and sealed. The Saudis think that their position as inheritors of the prophets peace be upon them is automatic. Allah says of them that He will sustain both the non-believers and believers from among them, the collaborators with Ziostan and its spying and warmongering, and the real Muslims. The Sufis think, like Baptist ministers that wealth is a sign of God’s special favour to them, while the Hadith of our prophet SAW says that a simple man who prays and speaks the truth is better than any of those that God has chosen to test with wealth. The Salafis exclude all except their own and all of the groups of Islam persecute those like myself who exit their narrow group when they realise the faults and false doctrines contained in them.

    I have been persecuted by Sufis, Salafis and Jihadis alike for not sticking with their narrow interpretation of Islam. And you know what? Allah always brings their persecution back to them so that all the damage they have tried to do me and malicious gossip they have spread about me ends up sitting in a big pile of poo in their own kitchen.

  • guano

    Mary – Lethal Allies.

    The UK’s first enemy is its own people, then its nearest neighbours, friendly nearby states, neighbouring empires etc.
    No harm ever came to any of these allies except through the political ambition of individuals inside those allied nations.
    people were bought with promises of power to betray their fellow kinsmen. The history of empire is a history of Qiyanat/betrayal.
    My best friend in Islam betrayed me to the UK and Iraqi authorities, to the local Pakistani community and he has even wormed his way into my own mother’s favour, whom he visits regularly to poison her mind against me.

    Half of the blame lies with those in power and half of the blame lies with those who will sell their own brother to gain that power. Colonialism is the betrayal of the good for the sake of power.

  • Anon

    Excellent, excellent work. Let paranoia and recrimination rage in every comment. Yes proceed. Have XXXXXXXXXX give the usual signal.

    # BEGIN
    # OP MURRAYMINCE Progress Report
    #
    # Edward Snowden Comments Page 12
    #
    # Total Number Of Comments 153
    # Subjects Debated 0
    #
    # Note: Typical for week+
    #
    # Moderator gone sooner than anticipated
    # CM and most commentators absent
    # Those who remain only fight each other
    # Zero debate of substance
    # We are safe
    #
    # Suggest we proceed to stage SMALLFLUSH.
    # END

  • Jives

    Anon,

    Very silly,very silly indeed.

    Look,CM has often not checked in to his blog for months at at a time so nothing new there.

    The blog has always gone through cycles where posters come and go from month to month so your point is irrelevant.

    Moderators were only here for a part of this blogs life,it went years without them before so your silly point is again ill-informed and irrelevant.

    I think you’ll find the Snowden debate is continuing well here and anyway this blog has always had a high level of peripheral debates away from the main thrust of the thread.So your silly point rendered again irrelevant.

    Im glad you confirm that yours is a tag team mission.We all knew anyway so again your silly point is irrelevant.

    Nobody’s safe in this modern world you fool,so again your silly point irrelevant.

    Takes up to 10 hasbara trolls a year of constant attacks and you still cant destroy the blog.In fact one might argue this blog is using major hasbara resources so..who’s wastnig whos time and resources eh?Rather looks like this blog is very effective in tying your los time abd resourcest up so again your point is irrelevant and silly.

    Finally though i admit im curious about SMALLFLUSH…is this where you bomb everyone on the blog you disagree with with white phosphorous and invade their homes?

    Do try and keep up old chap hmm?

    #END

  • guano

    Jives

    Did you not hear yer man in Washington Kerry state that only 2 dictators had ever used chemical weapons. That stuff in Gaza must have been candy floss.

  • Ben

    “Takes up to 10 hasbara trolls a year of constant attacks and you still cant destroy the blog.In fact one might argue this blog is using major hasbara resources so..who’s wastnig whos time and resources eh?Rather looks like this blog is very effective in tying your los time abd resourcest up so again your point is irrelevant and silly.”

    Good, original perspective. Although I suspect it’s not their ‘A’ Team because it took so long for their supervisor to change sheheit’s IP address. Nevertheless, keeping them busy seems the least we can do, and it might even change the zeitgeist here.

  • Jives

    Guano,

    Yes i do recall that.

    But my own belief is that it was Heinz beans that were used and Heinz Ketchup for the blood.

    I think Kerry likes Heinz beans.

    He’s full of them.

  • Jives

    Ben,

    Indeed.

    I,too,was going to use the word “zeitgeist” but was at end reluctant to do so.

    It would have led the ignoramus Jemand to the conclusive proof that i was Adolf Hitler,still living in South America or somewhere…

  • Jives

    Right…i’m off for a curry.

    No Jemand…that doesn’t mean i’m Osama bin Laden!

    Laterzzzzzz yoll.

  • Jives

    Jemand,
    ‘
    But I dont want to write anything interesting or articulate.

    Haven’t you figured that yet you silly billy hmm?

    I’m just here to divert your time and resources!

    :.)

  • fedup

    The mod was part of the plan, these hasbara fuckwits then could moan their tits off, and expect the usual treatment; delete everyone else’s post and leave the ziofuckwits post there. The ozzie nunce jemand was the worst wanker prancing his shit around and then the mod letting his post in place.

    The ziofuckwits are besides themselves, mod gone, oh dear, oh dear, is this some kind of fucking kindergarten in need of prefects and nannies? The idea of no single authority to lean on, coerce, ingratiate or force into a corner. The very idea itself people thinking for themselves and have no enforcers with cattle prods around them!!!!!!!

    Well ziofuckwits, this is the shape of things to come, so get fucking used to it!

    =======

    Who Killed Michael Hastings?

    Early in the morning on June 18, a brand new Mercedes C250 coupe was driving through the Melrose intersection on Highland Avenue in Hollywood when suddenly, out of nowhere, it sped up. According to an eye-witness, the car accelerated rapidly, bounced several times then fishtailed out of control before it slammed into a palm tree and burst into flames, ejecting its engine some 200 feet away.

    Russell Brand NEWSNIGHT Paxman vs Brand Full Interview

    The revolution has begun.

  • AlcAnon

    I probably shouldn’t tempt fate but the biggest problem of having no active mods and Craig not present for weeks or months is that the blog could get filled with stuff that would rapidly get Craig a visit from the police.

    Or it could simply get spammed to death.

  • guano

    Craig is writing the revised, naughty, history of the British Empire in India. A lot of research needs to be done into the logistics of keeping an over-sexed, hungry, bloodthirsty army in control of a vast empire. The best place to start would be Afghanistan 2001 to 2013 or Iraq. Muslims do not speak about the sexual shame of history. They seek out vulnerable teenagers in care 200 years on. The crimes committed against the Muslims in the last 20 years will be visited on the western world for another 1000 years.

  • John Goss

    Mar at 11.03 am. Sorry missed that. Very funny Julian Smith. Still if you wanted to find out who they were you could probably find most of them in the pubs of Harrogate.

  • fedup

    get filled with stuff that would rapidly get Craig a visit from the police.

    Or it could simply get spammed to death.
    AlcAnon

    26 Oct, 2013 – 5:45 pm

    What is wrong with the GCHQ? All that money spent on the kit to spy on everyone and plod needs to pay a visit to Craig?

    What spam?

    Weak excuse for deployment of a cattle prod guy.

    ======

    jemand the ozzie nunce proving his fucking racist supremacist credentials goes and finds a “Lebanese Australian rapist” (incidentally the chap is in prison, he has been caught and has paid for his transgression with a 55 year jail sentence) and links it too. This ziofuckwit waste of resources is of the belief that only Arabs and Muslims commit crimes. Evidently “white” or the Jewish master race don’t commit rapes and don’t commit crimes. The fucking racist wanker cannot keep its racism hidden for long can it?

    It is there in the link. Fact that the boy is born and raised in Australia matters not fucking one jot to this immigrant into that continent, but hey “Bilal” is a fucking funny name and he is brown/coloured/black too, that is good enough for this jemand the racist fucking immigrant nunce.

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