Set off a Roman candle for ‘the anti-authoritarian instinct’ — and Edward Snowden!

[Mr. H.]

Traitorous basted for what?
Letting the American people know that the government was watching them without cause?

Not in his job description.

That’s in all our job descriptions. It is part of being an American where the government is supposed to be subject to the people, not the people subjects to the government. I guess you think that we can provide oversight of corrupt power in the government when we are not even allowed to know what the government is doing.

Welp, I disagree. There are oversight committees y'know.
Snowden was on a payroll subject to contractual terms. He violated them.
I won't call him a traitor or a hero, but he most certainly fucked up.

 

[Mr. H.]

i think all governments need to be transparent and answerable to their citisens and, to some extent, the world.

i think israel should be held to the same standard.

Then why hasn't Israel invited Snowden into its realm?

because they are not that stupid.

Back to this....

and yes I'm sober.

Do you or Sherri hope that a "Snowden" does a similar patriotic duty within the Israeli government? If that happened would you hail that person as a hero?

 

[georgephillip]

How likely are we to know the truth about what it has in store for Lebanon, Syria, and Iran?

"In March, something happened in Congress that all Americans who love the rule of law need to hold in our teeth.

"Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) asked Director of National Intelligence James Clapper: "Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?"

"To which Clapper responded, 'No, sir ... Not wittingly.'"

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/17369-if-they-can-lie-about-nsa-snowden-they-can-lie-about-syria-and-iran

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Don't play with fireworks.

Certainly don't do so for a cheap criminal traitorous bastard like that scumbag Snowden.

Snowden is a patriot who should have his mug carved up on Mt. Rushmore.

Snowden is an alleged traitor who deserves only his mugshot on a wanted poster.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Don't play with fireworks.

Certainly don't do so for a cheap criminal traitorous bastard like that scumbag Snowden.

Traitorous basted for what?
Letting the American people know that the government was watching them without cause?

And that was determined in what court of law?

 

[georgephillip]

Then why hasn't Israel invited Snowden into its realm?

because they are not that stupid.

Back to this....

and yes I'm sober.

Do you or Sherri hope that a "Snowden" does a similar patriotic duty within the Israeli government? If that happened would you hail that person as a hero?

Here's a link to a few dozen US patriots who've been patiently waiting 46 years to endorse Israel's heroics:

USS Liberty: Contact Page

 

[sealadaigh]

Then why hasn't Israel invited Snowden into its realm?

because they are not that stupid.

Back to this....

and yes I'm sober.

Do you or Sherri hope that a "Snowden" does a similar patriotic duty within the Israeli government? If that happened would you hail that person as a hero?

i am not privy to sherri's hopes and dreams. i can only speak for myself.

my hope would be that all countries, organisations, and individuals conduct themselves in such a manner as to make the actions of the edward snowden's of this world irrelevant. that will not happen.

i see no reason to make an exception for israel.

as for edward snowden. i took an oath a long time ago to defend and protect the constitution of the united states of america and i may be naive, but i take my oaths very seriously, very, very seriously. i do not break them unless the other party does.

i have questions about the constitutionality of the NSA surveilling citisens of this country without the proper court orders. i am neither here nor there on snowden in regard to whether he did the right thing or the wrong thing as the matter is still up in the air. i am not really the type to rush to judgement. i always want more facts. in this case, i don't think there are enough facts.

i think he is a young man who values the ideals of this country, the ideals that this country was founded on, and he believes, as i do, that those willing to sacrifice security for freedom deserve neither (ben franklin).

i do think that what he did, he did out of good conscience. i think also, as i had stated previously, i think he should have stayed and demonstrated the courage of his convictions.

i have no idea why we, you, are fixating on israel. i am sure you know how i feel about that state politically but they really have very little, if anything, to do with this particular matter.

too much sobriety turns people's hearts into pieces of flint.

 

[Mr. H.]

LOL. Thank you for the reply.

 

[FA_Q2]

Not in his job description.

That’s in all our job descriptions. It is part of being an American where the government is supposed to be subject to the people, not the people subjects to the government. I guess you think that we can provide oversight of corrupt power in the government when we are not even allowed to know what the government is doing.

Welp, I disagree. There are oversight committees y'know.
Snowden was on a payroll subject to contractual terms. He violated them.
I won't call him a traitor or a hero, but he most certainly fucked up.

You really trust the politicians with spying on Americans when we do not and cannot know about it?

That is nuts. Talking about governmental power, you are giving them supreme power when you willingly stay ignorant of what they are doing because there are ‘oversight committees.’ We, the people, need to have insight on what our government is doing. Without that, we really have no ability to control its actions.

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Don't play with fireworks.

Certainly don't do so for a cheap criminal traitorous bastard like that scumbag Snowden.

Snowden is a patriot who should have his mug carved up on Mt. Rushmore.

Snowden is an alleged traitor who deserves only his mugshot on a wanted poster.

He deserves to be in jail for life.

I know.

HE fucking said what he did.

Unless you wish to claim that he lied?

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Snowden is my hero.

Your hero is a traitorous felon.

 

[FA_Q2]

Don't play with fireworks.

Certainly don't do so for a cheap criminal traitorous bastard like that scumbag Snowden.

Traitorous basted for what?
Letting the American people know that the government was watching them without cause?

And that was determined in what court of law?

Bullshit clay. You act like there can be no opinions on what is happening until a court hands you your opinion.

This is a clear violation of my privacy. The government has no right to record every digital move that I make nor does the government have the right to do so without ever even bothering to tell us. Nay, that is not correct. They DID tell us that they WERE NOT DOING THIS. They LIED, outright to the same ‘oversight’ that Mr. H was referring to. I realize that if the court ruled tomorrow that separate but equal is, once again, constitutional you would simply accept that. I, on the other hand, was gifted with a mind so that I can make logical decisions for myself and I am going to judge the actions of my government and fellow citizens accordingly. Fortunately, the country is not made up of drones and millions will be doing the exact same thing. Snowden does not have the support that he has because people think the government is doing the right thing and god willing; they are going to make those currently in power pay for this bullshit.

 

[PaulS1950]

Is it traitorous to tell you that you have the right to say "no" when a cop stops you and asks if he can search your car or look in your trunk?

Is it traitorous to tell you that being searched at the airport, bus station and ferry terminals is unlawful according to the 4th amendment?

Is it traitorous to tell you that you can lawfully walk on the sidewalk in DC with a gun strapped to your hip?

It is no more a traitorous act to tell the American public, and the world, that our government is tapping into every communication that goes through all lines of telecommunication in this country.

It may be wrong to call him a hero but it is more wrong to call him a traitor.