Edward Snowden’s Statement From Moscow - Update: Snowden’s Letter to Ecuador’s President

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Posted without comment: Statement From Edward Snowden in Moscow.

One week ago I left Hong Kong after it became clear that my freedom and safety were under threat for revealing the truth. My continued liberty has been owed to the efforts of friends new and old, family, and others who I have never met and probably never will. I trusted them with my life and they returned that trust with a faith in me for which I will always be thankful.

On Thursday, President Obama declared before the world that he would not permit any diplomatic “wheeling and dealing” over my case. Yet now it is being reported that after promising not to do so, the President ordered his Vice President to pressure the leaders of nations from which I have requested protection to deny my asylum petitions.

This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me.

For decades the United States of America have been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum. Sadly, this right, laid out and voted for by the U.S. in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is now being rejected by the current government of my country. The Obama administration has now adopted the strategy of using citizenship as a weapon. Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.

In the end the Obama administration is not afraid of whistleblowers like me, Bradley Manning or Thomas Drake. We are stateless, imprisoned, or powerless. No, the Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised — and it should be.

I am unbowed in my convictions and impressed at the efforts taken by so many.

Edward Joseph Snowden
Monday 1st July 2013

UPDATE at 7/1/13 4:17:20 pm


Also, from Reuters: Edward Snowden’s Letter to Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa.

“There are few world leaders who would risk standing for the human rights of an individual against the most powerful government on earth, and the bravery of Ecuador and its people is an example to the world. I must express my deep respect for your principles and sincere thanks for your government’s action in considering my request for political asylum.

“The Government of the United States of America has built the world’s largest system of surveillance. This global system affects every human life touched by technology; recording, analyzing, and passing secret judgment over each member of the international public. It is a grave violation of our universal human rights when a political system perpetuates automatic, pervasive, and unwarranted spying against innocent people. In accordance with this belief, I revealed this program to my country and the world. While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice, the Government of the United States of America responded with an extrajudicial man-hunt costing me my family, my freedom to travel, and my right to live peacefully without fear of illegal aggression.

“As I face this persecution, there has been silence from governments afraid of the United States Government and their threats. Ecuador, however, rose to stand and defend the human right to seek asylum. The decisive action of your Consul in London, Fidel Narvaez, guaranteed my rights would be protected upon departing Hong Kong - I could never have risked travel without that. Now, as a result, and through the continued support of your government, I remain free and able to publish information that serves the public interest.

“No matter how many more days my life contains, I remain dedicated to the fight for justice in this unequal world. If any of those days ahead realize a contribution to the common good, the world will have the principles of Ecuador to thank.

“Please accept my gratitude on behalf of your government and the people of the Republic of Ecuador, as well as my great personal admiration of your commitment to doing what is right rather than what is rewarding.

“Edward Joseph Snowden”

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211 comments
1 thedopefishlives  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:35:34pm

Somewhere out there, the world’s tiniest violin is playing a sad song for you, you poor woefully misguided soul.

2 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:35:34pm

Awww, the poor dear.

3 Targetpractice  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:35:56pm

Let me get the waaaaaambulance.

4 SpaceJesus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:36:21pm

Convictions a mile wide but only an inch deep

5 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:37:17pm
6 Decatur Deb  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:37:33pm

“Best used before 1 JUL 2013.”

7 thedopefishlives  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:38:12pm

re: #5 Charles Johnson

But in the movies, there’s never any penalty. The hero always gets away scot-free with the girl in the end!

8 teresa  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:38:40pm

He sounds just like Greenwald, he is basically repeating what Greenwald says daily, Obama worse than Bush.. God no wonder I hate those idiots so much.

9 Targetpractice  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:38:41pm

Seriously, is Snowden saying he should be tried and convicted in absentia, as he’s too chickenshit to stand trial? Or, more likely, he just thinks that the laws do not apply to him because his is a noble quest?

10 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:39:14pm

Also there was this…

And he thanks Ecuador for helping him get to Moscow.

…In a letter to Ecuador seen by Reurs, Snowden said the United States was illegally persecuting him for rling its electronic surveillance program, PRISM. He also thanked Ecuador for helping him get to Russia and for examining his asylum request.

11 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:39:18pm
This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile.

LOL, it takes balls to claim you’ve been exiled from the same country you’re actively on the run from. You can come home anytime you want sugar buns.

12 Decatur Deb  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:40:17pm

re: #9 Targetpractice

Seriously, is Snowden saying he should be tried and convicted in absentia, as he’s too chickenshit to stand trial? Or, more likely, he just thinks that the laws do not apply to him because his is a noble quest?

“Most Improved Martyr, Class of 2013”

13 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:40:31pm

re: #9 Targetpractice

Seriously, is Snowden saying he should be tried and convicted in absentia, as he’s too chickenshit to stand trial? Or, more likely, he just thinks that the laws do not apply to him because his is a noble quest?

Choice B, I think.

14 thedopefishlives  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:41:11pm

re: #11 goddamnedfrank

LOL, it takes balls to claim you’ve been exiled from the same country you’re actively on the run from. You can come home anytime you want sugar buns.

He’s got enough balls to publish this outlandish statement, but not enough to get on that plane back to the States and face the FBI squad that would be waiting for him at the gate.

15 Joanne  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:41:24pm

re: #1 thedopefishlives

Somewhere out there, the world’s tiniest violin is playing a sad song for you, you poor woefully misguided soul.

That was going to be my comment. Exactly. Woe is he.

16 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:42:27pm
17 freetoken  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:42:48pm

Sounds like he is desperate for attention, after a week of whirlwind domestic and social issue politics took over the US headlines.

18 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:43:20pm
19 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:44:39pm

re: #17 freetoken

Sounds like he is desperate for attention, after a week of whirlwind domestic and social issue politics took over the US headlines.

Sadly, I think he outsmarted himself. I’m not the first person to be perfectly happy to have him stuck in the transit area of the Moscow airport.
He won’t stay front page news forever and it must be slowly dawning on him.

20 Targetpractice  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:45:15pm

re: #11 goddamnedfrank

LOL, it takes balls to claim you’ve been exiled from the same country you’re actively on the run from. You can come home anytime you want sugar buns.

He’d probably get farther if he just came out and said he’s pissed because his getaway plan has been foiled.

21 thedopefishlives  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:45:38pm

re: #20 Targetpractice

He’d probably get farther if he just came out and said he’s pissed because his getaway plan has been foiled.

“And I would’ve gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for you meddling kids!”

22 Randall Gross  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:46:46pm

Snowden clearly is an imbecile. The president’s statement was pretty clear to me, meaning we weren’t going to trade for Snowden. Pressuring Russia is not wheeling and dealing.

23 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:48:19pm

OT…I just got pre-approved for a mortgage. We found a great house outside Nashville.

:)

24 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:48:24pm

re: #22 Randall Gross

Snowden clearly is an imbecile. The president’s statement was pretty clear to me, meaning we weren’t going to trade for Snowden. Pressuring Russia is not wheeling and dealing.

Yeah, the statement was a clear reference to any potential trade for Viktor Bout.

25 thedopefishlives  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:48:50pm

re: #23 NJDhockeyfan

OT…I just got pre-approved for a mortgage. We found a great house outside Nashville.

:)

Congratulations. Is this a first purchase?

26 Randall Gross  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:48:57pm

re: #23 NJDhockeyfan

OT…I just got pre-approved for a mortgage. We found a great house outside Nashville.

:)

Great news, but why Nashville? (j/k — I live in Kansas….)

27 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:48:58pm

“For decades the United States of America have been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum.”

… was changed to …

“For decades the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum.”

Hmm. Who actually wrote this? That doesn’t seem like an error a US citizen would make.

28 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:49:13pm

re: #13 calochortus

He’s got delusions of Skyrim.

29 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:49:54pm

“The Obama administration has now adopted the strategy of using citizenship as a weapon…”
— Snowden

Umm, no Eddie. They revoked your passport not your citizenship.

30 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:50:25pm

re: #25 thedopefishlives

Congratulations. Is this a first purchase?

No, second. I’m selling my house.

31 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:51:23pm

re: #26 Randall Gross

Great news, but why Nashville? (j/k — I live in Kansas….)

Lots of family out there. My wife and kids love it and I’m looking forward to great food and fishing.

32 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:51:35pm

re: #27 Charles Johnson

I think this is someone who is British. Actually, I learned this from Doctor Who. The difference in use between has and have across the pond.

Despite being American, Delaware asks, “How long have Scotland Yard had” the TARDIS (British usage, referring to an organisation in the plural), rather than “How long has Scotland Yard … (American usage, referring to an organisation in the singular). British usages are frequently found in the dialogue of American characters in Doctor Who and other British programmes and films. See also Peri Brown and Lt.Gen. Sanchez.

We have a British Ghostwriter. Or, at least someone more familiar with British English than American English.

33 thedopefishlives  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:51:46pm

re: #30 NJDhockeyfan

No, second. I’m selling my house.

Good luck to you.

34 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:53:26pm

re: #28 ProTARDISLiberal

He’s got delusions of Skyrim.

Welcome to the real world Mr. Snowden.

35 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:53:26pm
36 abolitionist  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:53:32pm

re: #27 Charles Johnson

United States …singular or plural? Seems an innocent error. (Apologist mode off)

37 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:53:32pm

re: #33 thedopefishlives

Good luck to you.

Thanks. It could be considered a first time purchase. We refinanced the house when her father passed. We got the house and her sisters got money.

38 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:54:26pm

re: #33 thedopefishlives

Good luck to you.

Thanks!

39 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:54:59pm
40 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:55:01pm

re: #9 Targetpractice

… Or, more likely, he just thinks that the laws do not apply to him because his is a noble quest?

If he’s on a noble quest, then he must bring…. A SHRUBBERY!

41 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:55:30pm

re: #36 abolitionist

United States …singular or plural? Seems an innocent error. (Apologist mode off)

Plural before the Civil War (“these United States) Singular after (the United States.)

42 Randall Gross  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:56:06pm

It wasn’t wheeling and dealing when we quietly threatened Ecuador either, and it’s not going to be wheeling and dealing when we threaten any other countries that might think about taking him in.

43 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:56:11pm

re: #36 abolitionist

It would be except, again, the idiosyncratic differences between American and British English. In this case, it is revealing.

It is very unlikely an American would use the plural in this case. And Snowden is an American

44 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:56:22pm

Exile? What does Snowden have against exile? And the US isn’t exiling him…he’s got lots of people, the NSA included, who would like to see him come home.

Youtube Video

45 CarolJ  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:57:35pm

If I were him, I would have made sure the asylum was in hand before saying anything. Better yet, have been in Ecuador beforehand living under an assumed name. Now Ecuador has to weigh the loss of trade with the U.S with the price of giving him asylum.

Also, Snowden shouldn’t count his chickens yet. While Putin may like to tweak Obama’s nose in this, I doubt he wants to permanently support Snowden. Which is what it would have to be to keep Snowden free and out of reach of U.S. law. So when Putin tires of him, he may send him back to face the music.

46 piratedan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:57:54pm

wish I knew what was so mind blowing about his data/revelations…

Neither the Guardian nor WaPo publish anything other than a slide and allegations of more to come. GG claims he has the whole story but even his own ego can somehow be tamed as he’s revealed no specifics on his own blog or through the various media outlets he outsources himself to. His restraint is legendary in this regard….

The people who have attempted to be his mouthpiece have either grossly misinterpreted or misrepresented his data. Perhaps the fact that people have been watching police procedurals over the last 10 years or so have clued into the fact that their cell phones and internet usage is monitored and stored by somebody out there, be it a government agency or retailers of any and all stripes.

Perhaps that it’s the notion that just because the government “can” doesn’t automagically mean that they “do” or “will”. People ask and say, you trust your government? AFAIK, only one party has sought to sabotage the electoral possibilities of another. While maybe each and every member of the current administration isn’t a paragon of ethics, who in the hell thinks that these guys are in any way shape and form related to guys like Nixon and Cheney? I’ll wait for a smoking gun before I start buying into Snowflake’s bs tyvm.

47 Lidane  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:58:24pm

Sure. Except for the fact that Snowden isn’t a whistleblower:

48 Decatur Deb  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 3:58:42pm

re: #45 CarolJ

If I were him, I would have made sure the asylum was in hand before saying anything. Better yet, have been in Ecuador beforehand living under an assumed name. Now Ecuador has to weigh the loss of trade with the U.S with the price of giving him asylum.

Also, Snowden shouldn’t count his chickens yet. While Putin may like to tweak Obama’s nose in this, I doubt he wants to permanently support Snowden. Which is what it would have to be to keep Snowden free and out of reach of U.S. law. So when Putin tires of him, he may send him back to face the music.

Twerp broke a window, then ran away from home with two Snickers and his teddy bear. He’ll be back.

49 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:00:24pm

re: #47 Lidane

Sure. Except for the fact that Snowden isn’t a whistleblower:

[Embedded content]

Consider the source.

50 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:00:27pm

re: #47 Lidane

Sure. Except for the fact that Snowden isn’t a whistleblower:

[Embedded content]

He thinks he is, though.

51 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:00:47pm

The rise of the privileged American weenie spy.

52 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:01:18pm
53 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:01:24pm

re: #51 Charles Johnson

The rise of the privileged American weenie spy.

a beenie weenie spy? In one of those cute little cans?

54 Targetpractice  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:01:55pm

I’m still wondering who is bankrolling Eddie’s Bogus Journey. The news hasn’t reported as much, but I figure one of the first things done was his bank accounts were either frozen or put under so much surveillance that just checking the balance would set off alarm bells.

55 CarolJ  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:04:33pm

re: #48 Decatur Deb

And he’s showing as much maturity. Think of his planning. Just three months of money and then he runs, not to Ecuador his final destination, but an expensive hotel in of all places Hong Kong? And while he’s there, makes dramatic statements to the world on a computer because he believes that wearing a hoodie will keep security from monitoring him? And carries, not some flash drives, but four laptops that can be easily “stolen”.

He then runs to Russia, one of the most monitored places in the world to make a flight to Cuba, another place of strict scrutiny.

His father then gives four demands that no prosecutor is going to give him, as if they have the “power” to make demands?

He’s a ten year old going on thirty.

56 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:04:35pm

re: #1 thedopefishlives

Somewhere out there, the world’s tiniest violin is playing a sad song for you, you poor woefully misguided soul.

57 Cheechako  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:04:45pm

Someone needs to send Snowden a copy of Edward Everett Hale’s “A Man Without a Country”.

58 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:05:38pm

I am now curious as to who (hehehe) wrote that letter. Because I don’t think it was Snowden.

59 Bubblehead II  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:06:14pm

“Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.”

Tough shit asshole. You thought you could steal TS documents, fly to another Country and leak them and now wonder why the U.S. Government has revoked you passport and is pressuring other Countries to refuse you entry? Are you so arrogant that you believed you could do such a thing and not face any sort of repercussions?

Why, Yes, I do believe you are.

But, reality is far different from what you believed. If you are now “A man without a Country” you did it to yourself you fucking traitor.

60 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:06:45pm
61 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:07:58pm

What a pile of hyperbolic bullshit.

62 CarolJ  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:08:30pm

re: #54 Targetpractice

Good point. None of the legs of his journey is cheap. Hong Kong hotel? Plane tickets? Even Russian airport concession food. Where’s he sleeping? How can he eat? And his final destination would have been Ecuador-how would he have been able to support himself for a lifetime? Even if he became an Ecuadorean and was eligible to work there, he could never get more than what would be paid for locally. So who is bankrolling all of this now?

63 freetoken  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:09:20pm

It used to, clearly printed in the passport the conditions under which one surrenders the right of being an American citizen. I don’t know if they still print it, but it was pretty clear.

64 piratedan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:09:29pm

re: #59 Bubblehead II

“Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.”

Tough shit asshole. You thought you could steal TS documents, fly to another Country and leak them and now wonder why the U.S. Government has revoked you passport and is pressuring other Countries to refuse you entry? Are you so arrogant that you believed you could do such a thing and not face any sort of repercussions?

Why, Yes, I do believe you are.

But, reality is far different from what you believed. If you are now “A man without a Country” you did it to yourself you fucking traitor.

kinda hard to convict a mofo if he’s a fugitive from justice, just sayin’

65 Randall Gross  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:10:08pm

re: #62 CarolJ

Good point. None of the legs of his journey is cheap. Hong Kong hotel? Plane tickets? Even Russian airport concession food. Where’s he sleeping? How can he eat? And his final destination would have been Ecuador-how would he have been able to support himself for a lifetime? Even if he became an Ecuadorean and was eligible to work there, he could never get more than what would be paid for locally. So who is bankrolling all of this now?

It’s pretty safe money to bet that the wikileaks foundation that Assange and Greenwald are part of is playing the part of Snowden’s sugardaddy.

66 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:10:51pm

re: #59 Bubblehead II

“Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.”

And yet he appears to be seeking asylum in a number of countries. Amazing!

67 Tigger2  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:10:57pm

re: #54 Targetpractice

I’m still wondering who is bankrolling Eddie’s Bogus Journey. The news hasn’t reported as much, but I figure one of the first things done was his bank accounts were either frozen or put under so much surveillance that just checking the balance would set off alarm bells.

I heard wikileaks was.

68 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:11:19pm

re: #65 Randall Gross

Don’t tell Ecuador that—they’ll start charging Assange rent.

69 krypto  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:11:54pm

I hadn’t realized before that Edward Snowden writes with an assange accent.

70 freetoken  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:11:54pm

re: #27 Charles Johnson

“For decades the United States of America have been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum.”

… was changed to …

“For decades the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum.”

Hmm. Who actually wrote this? That doesn’t seem like an error a US citizen would make.

Yeah, it sounds like it was written by a Brit, with all their plural noun stuff.

71 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:12:45pm

Worked from home today due to the BART strike. Had the Zimmerman trial on. At one point, he’s walking around with a couple of butterfly band-aids slapped onto the back of his head (the kind you use to wrap a finger if you cut the tip of it). At one point, one of the cops with him asks about the bandages and says his head looks fine. Zimmerman says, “My wife is in RN school and she went to work on me.” Yeah, right. The wrong band-aid for the job and not even on securely (due to his having a 1/4” of hair keeping the band-aids elevated above his scalp).

Stupid fucker. I hope someone on the jury is smart enough to point that out in deliberation.

72 Lidane  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:14:17pm
73 krypto  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:15:59pm

A basic right - the right to seek asylum?

Has anyone told George Zimmerman about this basic human right?

74 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:16:22pm

re: #69 krypto

I hadn’t realized before that Edward Snowden writes with an assange accent.

75 Bubblehead II  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:16:23pm

re: #64 piratedan

kinda hard to convict a mofo if he’s a fugitive from justice, just sayin’

Not really. He has already convicted himself by not only ackowleging that he stole the files, but that he willingly released them.

76 steve_davis  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:17:16pm

re: #27 Charles Johnson

“For decades the United States of America have been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum.”

… was changed to …

“For decades the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum.”

Hmm. Who actually wrote this? That doesn’t seem like an error a US citizen would make.

As an English professor, I’d say somebody who lives in a world where the United States as a collective noun uses a plural verb. That would be all of the former British commonwealth, and any number of countries with native languages that do the same with their collective nouns.

77 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:17:34pm

re: #71 darthstar

He sits there with that hang-dog expression all day long. As though he’s been on a pity-party all his life: not good looking enough, not tall enough, not skinny enough, not educated enough, not talented enough, and most of all, not intelligent enough. So he had to do something to get attention.

Hey, with the exception of #3, that could be Snowden.

78 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:17:36pm

Also, from Reuters: Edward Snowden’s Letter to Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa.

“There are few world leaders who would risk standing for the human rights of an individual against the most powerful government on earth, and the bravery of Ecuador and its people is an example to the world. I must express my deep respect for your principles and sincere thanks for your government’s action in considering my request for political asylum.

“The Government of the United States of America has built the world’s largest system of surveillance. This global system affects every human life touched by technology; recording, analyzing, and passing secret judgment over each member of the international public. It is a grave violation of our universal human rights when a political system perpetuates automatic, pervasive, and unwarranted spying against innocent people. In accordance with this belief, I revealed this program to my country and the world. While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice, the Government of the United States of America responded with an extrajudicial man-hunt costing me my family, my freedom to travel, and my right to live peacefully without fear of illegal aggression.

“As I face this persecution, there has been silence from governments afraid of the United States Government and their threats. Ecuador, however, rose to stand and defend the human right to seek asylum. The decisive action of your Consul in London, Fidel Narvaez, guaranteed my rights would be protected upon departing Hong Kong - I could never have risked travel without that. Now, as a result, and through the continued support of your government, I remain free and able to publish information that serves the public interest.

“No matter how many more days my life contains, I remain dedicated to the fight for justice in this unequal world. If any of those days ahead realize a contribution to the common good, the world will have the principles of Ecuador to thank.

“Please accept my gratitude on behalf of your government and the people of the Republic of Ecuador, as well as my great personal admiration of your commitment to doing what is right rather than what is rewarding.

“Edward Joseph Snowden”

79 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:17:39pm

Snowden is polishing his whiny entitled bitch credentials, I see.

Alexander Litvinenko has not issued any comments on the Snowden story as of yet.

80 Bubblehead II  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:19:03pm

re: #66 calochortus

And yet he appears to be seeking asylum in a number of countries. Amazing!

Most of which seem to be 3rd world/Communist/Anti-American Countries that depend upon U.S. aid.

81 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:19:06pm

re: #70 freetoken

Yeah, it sounds like it was written by a Brit, with all their plural noun stuff.

Somewhat off topic, but if anyone brings up the horror of the English language being ruined by change-not like the good old days when things were allegedly static and proper-I recommend bringing up “you” being both singular and plural. It used to be only plural but that changed in the 1800s and there was a period when perfectly well educated people used “you is” when using the word to refer to one person. The English speaking world ultimately settled on “you are” for both singular and plural, which is why we use a plural verb with a singular subject to this very day.

82 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:19:30pm
While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice, the Government of the United States of America responded with an extrajudicial man-hunt costing me my family, my freedom to travel, and my right to live peacefully without fear of illegal aggression.

Have some nice Russian cheese with that whine.

83 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:19:45pm
84 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:21:32pm

re: #63 freetoken

It used to, clearly printed in the passport the conditions under which one surrenders the right of being an American citizen. I don’t know if they still print it, but it was pretty clear.

Looking at my passport and, yes…bottom of page 4 continuing to top of Page 5.
And then this:
Advice about Possible Loss of U.S. Citizenship and Dual Nationality

85 neilk  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:22:54pm

Snowden hasn’t lost his citizenship. He just lost his passport. They are not the same thing.

86 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:23:00pm

Gohmert: Obama Declared ‘War with Christianity,’ Doesn’t Understand America

Guest-hosting the Family Research Council’s Washington Watch last week, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) said that he doubted President Obama’s Christian faith and American heritage. After making a bizarre argument about the incompatibility of marriage equality and evolution, Gohmert claimed that Obama is merely a “proclaimed Christian” and contended that the president has “gone to war with Christianity.”

“The gloves have come off, there really is a war by this administration against not just the Catholic Church but the Christian Church,” he said. Gohmert charged that under Obama “you can’t practice what you believe about birth control, about abortion, this administration will tell you what religious practices you can participate in and what you can’t.”

He also suggested the government may begin collecting personal information such as medical and phone records and emails of Christians to use against them:

Practicing what you believe apparently means forcing everyone in the nation to adhere to your personal beliefs.

87 A Mom Anon  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:25:52pm

re: #65 Randall Gross

I was wondering if he was paid to do all this from the start. Maybe he has a nice little nest egg, if that’s the case.

88 freetoken  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:26:00pm

re: #86 Kragar

He also suggested the government may begin collecting personal information such as medical and phone records and emails of Christians to use against them:

Are we going to see a GOHMERT! and Snowjob convergence?

89 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:26:06pm

Judge showed ‘anti-Christian bias’ by upholding yoga classes in school: lawyer

Yoga in a public school’s fitness program does not amount to teaching children religion because despite its roots in Hindu philosophy it is part of American culture, a California judge ruled on Monday.

The ruling denied a request by a family in a San Diego suburb to ban the local school district from including yoga in physical education, arguing that it violated the First Amendment and separation of church and state.

tephen and Jennifer Sedlock and their two children sued the Encinitas school district earlier this year. Their lawyer, Dean Broyles, said the judge’s ruling was part of a broader bias against Christianity.

Yoga “is religious and has religious aspects,” Broyles said. “There is a consistent anti-Christian bias in these cases, and a pro-Eastern or strange religion bias.”

90 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:26:21pm
91 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:27:17pm

re: #88 freetoken

Are we going to see a GOHMERT! and Snowjob convergence?

Hell, if they really wanted names and emails for these people, all they would have to do is post a couple “Sign this petition to recall Obama” websites and they would be all set.

92 elizajane  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:28:31pm

Go to any dedicated left-wing or right-wing website and the comments are filled with a**h****s gloating about how the Obama Stalinist dictatorship is being brought down by this clown. Stuff like “only a few years ago Russian dissidents took refuge in America, now Americans have to seek refuge from their government in Russia.”

It’s like they have NO concept of how international relations actually work, NO concept of how our government actually compares to other governments, and NO sense that the country actually has a standing and status apart from what they want to call its “regime.” They actually are cheering on a serious attack on their country because it allows them to hate on the president. It’s absolutely sick.

It was one thing when this schmuck had just ratted out some domestic surveillence programs. I mean, OK, one could have a discussion about whether it was right of him to push forward a national discussion about security vs. privacy, even if he did it in a stupid way. But to be applauding him as he spills details about our foreign intelligence gathering is just outrageous. Like anything that damages America is just fine as long as it can be used to damage Obama, from both left and right.

At least it’s all brought me back to LGF in search of sanity!

93 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:29:53pm

I don’t believe these are Snowden’s own words, I believe this was totally made up by Greenwald with a little help from Assange. Because how is Snowden getting “his own words” out of the Transit Gulag? It’s not like he has his very own seekrit Internets that the Russians don’t know about.

94 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:30:26pm

re: #86 Kragar

Umm, I thought “proclaimed Christianity” was what Gohmert wants. If he, for example, were to be judged by the actual contents of the New Testament, he might no hold up as well as he’d like.

95 freetoken  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:30:28pm

re: #89 Kragar

Broyles is part of the local theocon crowd, being a founding part of NCLA (formerly Western Center for Law & Policy).

He hangs out with other theocrats online here:
thethirdrailradio.com

By not given their version of Christianity privilege they believe they are being discriminated against.

96 Bubblehead II  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:31:05pm

re: #78 Charles Johnson

While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice,

WTF? What public Suport?

Followed by.

the Government of the United States of America responded with an extrajudicial man-hunt costing me my family, my freedom to travel, and my right to live peacefully without fear of illegal aggression.”

Huh? What manhunt? We know where you are at. As far as your ability to travel,

WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU EXPECT YOU IDIOT!

97 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:31:33pm

re: #78 Charles Johnson

Mixes “persecution” and “prosecution”, too. The “martyr” speaking…

98 Targetpractice  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:32:26pm

re: #93 Vicious Babushka

I don’t believe these are Snowden’s own words, I believe this was totally made up by Greenwald with a little help from Assange. Because how is Snowden getting “his own words” out of the Transit Gulag? It’s not like he has his very own seekrit Internets that the Russians don’t know about.

I’m beginning to think Greenwald is at best a bystander anymore. It looks like Assange has totally co-opted Snowden and turned him into yet another facet of the Wikileaks lost cause.

99 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:32:31pm

re: #93 Vicious Babushka

I don’t believe these are Snowden’s own words, I believe this was totally made up by Greenwald with a little help from Assange. Because how is Snowden getting “his own words” out of the Transit Gulag? It’s not like he has his very own seekrit Internets that the Russians don’t know about.

Very true. I thought I had heard he lacked internet access at the airport. Since one of the reasons he said he left Hong Kong was that he was afraid of losing his internet connection with the world, I thought it was rather ironic.

100 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:34:14pm

re: #1 thedopefishlives

Somewhere out there, the world’s tiniest violin is playing a sad song for you, you poor woefully misguided soul.

Youtube Video

101 HAL2010  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:34:59pm

And on that note, I’m ending this rather manic day and going to bed.

Goodnight lizards.

Once again, I’m at @franzen86 on twitter if you’re interested

Sleep tight

102 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:35:16pm

re: #62 CarolJ

Good point. None of the legs of his journey is cheap. Hong Kong hotel? Plane tickets? Even Russian airport concession food. Where’s he sleeping? How can he eat? And his final destination would have been Ecuador-how would he have been able to support himself for a lifetime? Even if he became an Ecuadorean and was eligible to work there, he could never get more than what would be paid for locally. So who is bankrolling all of this now?

He was counting on the royalties from all the book and movie deals that Glenn promised would be beating down his door.

103 Weet  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:36:11pm

Just gag.

Martyr syndrome extraordinaire.
Truly laughable.

104 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:36:25pm

re: #96 Bubblehead II

While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice,

WTF? What public Suport?

Followed by.

the Government of the United States of America responded with an extrajudicial man-hunt costing me my family, my freedom to travel, and my right to live peacefully without fear of illegal aggression.”

Huh? What manhunt? We know where you are at. As far as your ability to travel,

WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU EXPECT YOU IDIOT!

Do we know where he is? Apparently a lot of people at the Moscow airport are keeping an eye peeled for him and haven’t seen him. I suppose he’s still in Russia-possibly learning many things he was previously unaware of, but beyond that, who cares?

105 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:37:35pm

Moscow’s luxury lounges are making life tough on that traitor Snowden. twitter.com

106 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:37:47pm
107 Decatur Deb  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:39:27pm

re: #85 neilk

Snowden hasn’t lost his citizenship. He just lost his passport. They are not the same thing.

He didn’t lose his passport—the US took back it’s passport. Checking my old ones:

Blue: “This passport is the property of the United States government. It must be surrendered on demand of…”

Red: “This passport is the property of the United States government. It must be surrendered on demand of…”

Black: “This passport remains the property of the United States (Title 22 Code of Federal Regulations, section 51.9) and is valid as long as the bearer…”

108 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:39:33pm
109 Decatur Deb  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:42:04pm

Dogwalk. BBL

110 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:42:16pm

re: #105 Justanotherhuman

Moscow’s luxury lounges are making life tough on that traitor Snowden. twitter.com

That’s the Super Deluxe First Class lounge for Oligarchs only.

Regular travelers, even business class, don’t get anywhere near that.

BTW Sheremetyevo is the shittiest airport that I have ever been to.

111 Mattand  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:43:49pm

Quick question: what does Ecudaor gain by babysitting Assange and possibly taking in Snowden?

Quick question 2: so this guy leaks stuff about the NSA, which in theory, is worth talking about. He then follows that up by turning over God-knows-what to China and Russia, because he’s worried about freedom in the US? Because there’s no stauncher defenders of freedom than China and Russia.

The more I read about this story, the less I understand.

112 AntonSirius  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:45:40pm

re: #81 calochortus

Somewhat off topic, but if anyone brings up the horror of the English language being ruined by change-not like the good old days when things were allegedly static and proper-I recommend bringing up “you” being both singular and plural. It used to be only plural but that changed in the 1800s and there was a period when perfectly well educated people used “you is” when using the word to refer to one person. The English speaking world ultimately settled on “you are” for both singular and plural, which is why we use a plural verb with a singular subject to this very day.

Whereas in the modern era, we can say “y’all” for the singular and “all y’all” for the plural. Evolution rules.

113 calochortus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:46:23pm

Time to bring in the laundry and then get dinner started. Probably more fun than whatever Snowden is doing.

114 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:46:29pm

The gang that couldn’t shoot straight.

This thing reminds me of a 3 Stooges marathon.

Freakin’ amateurs.

115 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:46:52pm
116 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:48:08pm

re: #113 calochortus

Time to bring in the laundry and then get dinner started. Probably more fun than whatever Snowden is doing.

Heh…was just thinking about laundry (have some to fold myself)…and it’ll be interesting to see what being locked indoors for a few weeks does for Snowden’s physical health.

117 freetoken  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:48:36pm

re: #115 darthstar


Well, may very large airports have boutiques from fancy labels where one can overpay for some Bangladeshi slave labor products.

118 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:48:38pm

The Snowden movie:

The Terminal II: Transit Gulag
In Russian Airport, Duty-Free Buys You!

119 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:48:39pm

re: #111 Mattand

Quick question: what does Ecudaor gain by babysitting Assange and possibly taking in Snowden?

Quick question 2: so this guy leaks stuff about the NSA, which in theory, is worth talking about. He then follows that up by turning over God-knows-what to China and Russia, because he’s worried about freedom in the US? Because there’s no stauncher defenders of freedom than China and Russia.

The more I read about this story, the less I understand.

I wouldn’t be surprised if their was a sudden mysterious small fire that sadly forced the evacuation of the embassy thus ridding them of Julian. It will be blamed on faulty electronics.

120 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:49:05pm

re: #116 darthstar

Heh…was just thinking about laundry (have some to fold myself)…and it’ll be interesting to see what being locked indoors for a few weeks does for Snowden’s physical health.

I doubt he’ll get any paler.

121 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:49:17pm

Speaking of passports, I just noticed that there is an ICTS sticker on the back of mine.
A quick google brings up a plethora of conspiracy stuff.
bwahahaaa!!!

122 krypto  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:49:21pm

I am really fascinated by the part of that statement revealing that seeking asylum is a basic human right.

I wonder if other criminals already in our prisons can now start demanding that basic human right too.

123 AntonSirius  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:50:05pm

re: #108 darthstar

[Embedded content]

I feel so bad for Axelrod in that picture, left hanging on a fist bump for the rest of time. Poor Axelrod.

124 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:51:52pm

I posted this a couple of weeks ago but it seems appropriate:

Here’s a story I heard about Sheremetyevo airport.

There were these two aircraft mechanics who would sneak into the duty free stores every night and drink vodka until they passed out. The stores noticed the discrepancy in inventory and changed the locks.

So the mechanics could not get in to steal the vodka. What to do? But there were tanks of jet fuel out there on the tarmac so they decided to try that instead.

The next morning, one of the mechanics woke up with the mother of all hangovers. He got a call on his cell phone from his drinking friend.

“Are you feeling the effects of that jet fuel we drank last night?”
“My head hurts like a motherfucker but it was totally worth it!”
“Tell me, have you passed gas?”
“Well, I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
“Well, I just did, and now I’m in Seattle.”

125 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:55:05pm
126 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:55:15pm

Whitey Bulger agrees with Snowden’s letter and demands his passport back, free unlimited travel and the right to plead countries for asylum.

127 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:58:34pm
128 darthstar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:02:38pm
129 Shiplord Kirel  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:07:02pm

re: #83 Gus

[Embedded content] I tell ya. They don’t make traitors like they used to.

Ain’t that the truth? Benedict Arnold and Lord Haw-Haw wouldn’t want to be seen in the same part of Hell with him.

130 twisty  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:07:28pm

More and more I just can’t shake the feeling that Snowden has been somebody’s very, very stupid pawn and/or employee this year. Opinions do change, but the complete 180 between his old opinions on leakers and what he’s saying now is too drastic and too fast to have me believe he arrived there on his own. Forgive me for being a theorymonger, but all this business seems very calculated to damage US international standing and the Obama admin as well.

131 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:07:57pm
132 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:11:47pm

re: #130 twisty

Welcome, hatchling.

133 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:12:45pm

re: #112 AntonSirius

Whereas in the modern era, we can say “y’all” for the singular and “all y’all” for the plural. Evolution rules.

You can say that. Most of us above the Mason-Dixon line wouldn’t be caught dead.

134 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:13:27pm
135 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:13:40pm

re: #81 calochortus

Somewhat off topic, but if anyone brings up the horror of the English language being ruined by change-not like the good old days when things were allegedly static and proper-I recommend bringing up “you” being both singular and plural. It used to be only plural but that changed in the 1800s and there was a period when perfectly well educated people used “you is” when using the word to refer to one person. The English speaking world ultimately settled on “you are” for both singular and plural, which is why we use a plural verb with a singular subject to this very day.

I for one pine for the days when “ain’t” was properly only used as an abbreviation for “am not”.

136 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:15:08pm

re: #135 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

I for one pine for the days when “ain’t” was properly only used as an abbreviation for “am not”.

And some just pine for the fjords…
;)

137 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:15:17pm
138 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:15:42pm
139 twisty  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:15:57pm

re: #132 wrenchwench

Thank you! Been lurking off and on for a few years but lately I can’t peel myself away, so I decided to take the plunge.

140 austin_blue  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:16:05pm

re: #133 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

You can say that. Most of us above the Mason-Dixon line wouldn’t be caught dead.

Oh, try it, it’s fun!

Especially when you employ the piquant phrase “Hey, fuck *all* y’all!”

141 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:16:11pm
142 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:16:34pm
143 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:18:36pm

re: #130 twisty

I agree with your conclusion, but for chrissakes, he’s an adult, not some 16 yr old. He made his own decisions. And he needs to face the music.

144 Joanne  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:19:49pm

re: #112 AntonSirius

Whereas in the modern era, we can say “y’all” for the singular and “all y’all” for the plural. Evolution rules.

Oh. Please no. The editor in me is cringing in ways I didn’t think possible. I think I hurt something.

145 Bubblehead II  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:19:52pm

Night Lizards. There is a storm brewing. Will you be prepared for it when it breaks?

Charles and many other other Lizards have been sounding the alarm for some time now. Have you been listening? How will you respond? What will you do?

Think about it.

146 Decatur Deb  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:20:21pm

Huffpo blogger calling for Texas women to execute the Lysistrata Option:

huffingtonpost.com

147 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:21:19pm

Snowden really needs to fire his agent.

148 twisty  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:23:50pm

re: #143 Justanotherhuman

Oh definitely, I don’t mean to imply he isn’t culpable. Stupid isn’t a valid defense and neither is “but I’m a hero!”

149 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:24:05pm

1st July 2013?

150 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:24:54pm

re: #149 b.d.

1st July 2013?

Also sort of Euro-style.

151 engineer cat  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:26:25pm

heapchk!

heapchk!
heapchk!
heapchk!
heapchk!

excuse me, i’ve got a bad case of the heapchks

152 Decatur Deb  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:27:45pm

re: #140 austin_blue

Oh, try it, it’s fun!

Especially when you employ the piquant phrase “Hey, fuck *all* y’all!”

Best shouted from the bed of a pickup as the wheels take traction in a CW bar parking lot.

153 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:27:54pm
154 engineer cat  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:28:22pm

re: #149 b.d.

1st July 2013?

i like to write it that way but then i am prone to fits of pretentiousness

155 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:28:49pm
156 engineer cat  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:29:39pm

oh, excuse me, i wasn’t pronouncing it right:

_heapchk!

157 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:30:10pm

CHALLENGE: TRY TO READ THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH WITHOUT THROWING SOMETHING.

158 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:30:17pm

re: #148 twisty

Haha, he’s more like “nail me to the cross” recently. : )

159 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:30:47pm

re: #157 Vicious Babushka

CHALLENGE: TRY TO READ THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH WITHOUT THROWING SOMETHING.

[Embedded content]

not even gonna try…

barf…

160 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:30:52pm
161 Weet  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:31:01pm

“While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice…”

Actually, Sowdum, only a third of US citizens support you, and that number is falling.

Ipsos poll

162 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:31:22pm

re: #153 wrenchwench

Buyer’s remorse?

163 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:31:56pm
164 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:34:30pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

not even gonna try…

barf…

I want to see Amanda Marcotte totally own this asshole.

165 engineer cat  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:34:31pm

re: #160 Charles Johnson

the United States “have been”

definitely brit style to have organizations and entities take the plural

might do!

166 CuriousLurker  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:35:23pm

Ugh, the self-pitying melodrama and ass kissing in those statements made me gag. Mr. Snowden needs to put on his big boy undies and stop the whining. Who in the hell does he think he’s kidding?

Gawd, how annoying.

167 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:37:03pm

re: #166 CuriousLurker

Ugh, the self-pitying melodrama and ass kissing in those statements made me gag. Mr. Snowden needs to put on his big boy undies and stop the whining. Who in the hell does he think he’s kidding?

Gawd, how annoying.

He totally swallowed the bunch of bullshit that Greenwald fed him.

168 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:37:26pm

Amazing how almost none of the pro-Snowden pundits even bother to mention that the purpose of NSA programs is to protect the US from terrorist plots.

You may think it’s overkill and crazy and the wrong solution, and I might not argue too much with that, because it kind of is.

But all these people talk about it as if these programs came into existence just because the US government is evil and wants to read your emails with the cat pictures.

169 CuriousLurker  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:37:52pm

re: #164 Vicious Babushka

We should get together and bake Snowden some martyr cookies, huh?

170 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:38:11pm

re: #169 CuriousLurker

We should get together and bake Snowden some martyr cookies, huh?

I don’t bake with bullshit.

171 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:38:30pm
172 jaunte  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:38:46pm

re: #169 CuriousLurker

I think he’ll have to settle for hard cheese.

173 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:39:12pm

Snowden’s letter sounds like it was written on the back of a cocktail napkin at TGI Friday’s after being dictated by Assange. Still being and getting played.

And not taking responsibility for being the one who put himself in this position in the first place. That takes the cake. He’s blaming everyone, up to and including the President for his decision to go and spill secrets after leaving the US? Yeah, we have a word for that. Chutzpah.

And he’s got it in treasonous spades.

174 CuriousLurker  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:39:24pm

re: #167 Vicious Babushka

He totally swallowed the bunch of bullshit that Greenwald fed him.

Seriously. Whoever wrote that drivel wayyyyy overdid it.

175 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:40:11pm

Sorry, had to.

176 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:41:06pm

re: #171 Gus

That guy’s shirt lists the date the same way Snowden’s letter does.

177 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:41:50pm

re: #175 Charles Johnson

Sorry, had to.

[Embedded content]

Hahahaha, you’re a bad man Charles.

178 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:41:59pm

re: #168 Charles Johnson

Even as these same folks share all manner of intimate details on Twitter and Facebook and photos on Vine or Instagram, all of which collect all kinds of data and metadata for their own commercial uses (and whose secure access to that information is not nearly as secure as they’d have you believe by the looks of all the accounts that have gotten compromised in just the past 6 months alone.

179 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:42:19pm

re: #176 b.d.

That guy’s shirt lists the date the same way Snowden’s letter does.

Interesting. Just noticed that.

180 jaunte  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:42:23pm

re: #176 b.d.

Tanzania was a British mandate from 1919-1961.

181 jaunte  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:44:28pm

“There is a massive apparatus within the United States government that with complete secrecy has been building this enormous structure that has only one goal, and that is to destroy private and anonymous cat pictures, not just in the United States but around the world!”

182 Iwouldprefernotto  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:44:29pm

re: #157 Vicious Babushka

CHALLENGE: TRY TO READ THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH WITHOUT THROWING SOMETHING.

[Embedded content]

Couldn’t get through the entire article, but read this from the “About Us” section:

ClashDaily.com is a mosh pit of breaking news, edgy opinion, lots of attitude, and a call to action for God- and country-loving patriots. Yes, ClashDaily.com loves America’s founding documents and its Judeo-Christian worldview, and we will defend the aforementioned with an unapologetic zeal and an irreverent sense of humor.

as opposed to patriots who don’t love god

183 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:46:06pm
184 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:47:15pm

Possibilities:

Snowden dictated the message to a Wikileaks drone over the phone, and he/she did some impromptu editing to make it fit UK-European language conventions.

Snowden had nothing to do with this letter, and someone else wrote it.

No one has seen Snowden for quite a while now.

185 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:48:42pm

re: #178 lawhawk

Frank Rich wrote about that very subject yesterday.

When Privacy Jumped The Shark

nymag.com

186 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:49:03pm

Guess who’s going to be on Fox and Friends tomorrow.

187 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:49:43pm

re: #186 Gus

Guess who’s going to be on Fox and Friends tomorrow.

HITLER!

188 bratwurst  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:50:16pm

re: #176 b.d.

That guy’s shirt lists the date the same way Snowden’s letter does.

I have yet to visit another country outside of the United States where the month is given before the day. Therefore, if you were writing a check in another country (which you wouldn’t be, we are pretty much the only people still writing checks at this point), the date would be written as 1-7-13.

189 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:51:19pm

re: #187 Kragar

HITLER!

Close. Greenwald.

190 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:53:09pm

re: #151 engineer cat

heapchk!

heapchk!
heapchk!
heapchk!
heapchk!

excuse me, i’ve got a bad case of the heapchks

Well check your heap damnit. It’s probably overflowing.

191 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:53:54pm

re: #186 Gus

Guess who’s going to be on Fox and Friends tomorrow.

Barrack Obama?

192 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:54:29pm

re: #191 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Barrack Obama?

Only in effigy.

193 engineer cat  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:55:04pm

re: #184 Charles Johnson

Snowden dictated the message to a Wikileaks drone over the phone, and he/she did some impromptu editing to make it fit UK-European language conventions.

could have been some busybody “correcting” snowden’s grammar

but the overall style is a bit clunky and rather earthbound, e.g.

“old, bad tools”

“is now being rejected by the current government of my country”

194 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:55:47pm

re: #189 Gus

Close. Greenwald.

Damn.

Is he the fox or is he the friend?

195 engineer cat  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:56:10pm

re: #190 Walking Spanish Down the Hall

Well check your heap damnit. It’s probably overflowing.

sumboddy else hev failed to allokate kerrekly

196 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:58:00pm
197 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:58:02pm

Matt Barber says he and others are prepared to go to jail or even die to prevent gay people from getting married.

Challenge accepted.

198 Gus  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:58:45pm
199 b.d.  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:58:45pm

re: #196 Gus

OMG Eric Bolling?

200 abolitionist  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 5:59:12pm

re: #197 Kragar

Plus1 for the Men In Black reference.

201 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:00:25pm

re: #197 Kragar

Matt Barber says he and others are prepared to go to jail or even die to prevent gay people from getting married.

Challenge accepted.

Now there’s an idea.

202 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:02:35pm

re: #198 Gus

Who’s going to “interview” him next, Sarah Palin?

203 Kragar  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:09:21pm

re: #200 abolitionist

Plus1 for the Men In Black reference.

The quote from MiB was “Your proposal is acceptable.”

204 abolitionist  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:10:12pm

re: #203 Kragar

Ok

205 jvic  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:16:39pm

re: #168 Charles Johnson

Amazing how almost none of the pro-Snowden pundits even bother to mention that the purpose of NSA programs is to protect the US from terrorist plots.

You may think it’s overkill and crazy and the wrong solution, and I might not argue too much with that, because it kind of is.

Snowden and his apologists are discrediting the legitimate issue which they are purporting to raise.

206 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:19:08pm

re: #169 CuriousLurker

We should get together and bake Snowden some martyr cookies, huh?

do we get to stab them with tiny sugar swords?

207 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:20:29pm

re: #172 jaunte

I think he’ll have to settle for hard cheese.

very hard cheese, with extra mold…

208 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:24:15pm

re: #176 b.d.

That guy’s shirt lists the date the same way Snowden’s letter does.

It’s Africa…they write dates the same way as Great Britain.

209 wheat-dogghazi  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 6:57:59pm

Snowden has apparently applied for asylum in Russia, and Ecuador’s president Correa now says they made a mistake in helping Snowden. (Ya think?)

Now Putin’s on the spot, because he’s been trying to keep Snowden at arm’s length for the past week.

No word about the supposed escape plan offered by Venezuela.

210 stabby  Mon, Jul 1, 2013 11:26:45pm

re: #156 engineer cat

oh, excuse me, i wasn’t pronouncing it right:

_heapchk!

Image: i-can-haz-core-dump-31653-1294474626-103.jpg

211 Lawrence Schmerel  Tue, Jul 2, 2013 6:48:42am

If Edward Snowden had revealed some illegal governmental intrusion of individual privacy bravely in U.S. territory, and stood up for himself in a U.S. court of law, he might actually be considered a hero. But, he is no hero; he is a dishonest coward.


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