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“EDWARD SNOWDEN WIRED.”  Stand  (Summer 2014, pub. by the ACLU).  Conversation recorded between Snowden and ACLU Exec. Director Anthony Romero, who traveled to Moscow for a one-on-one interview on why Snowden disclosed the files.

James—   6-4-2014 It’s been one year. Technology has been a liberating force in our lives. It allows us to create and share the experiences that make us human, effortlessly. But in secret, our very own government—one bound by the Constitution and its Bill of Rights—has reverse-engineered something beautiful into a tool of mass surveillance and oppression. The government right now can easily monitor whom you call, whom you associate with, what you read, what you buy, and where you go online and offline, and they do it to all of us, all the time. Today, our most intimate private records are being indiscriminately seized in secret, without regard for whether we are actually suspected of wrongdoing. When these capabilities fall into the wrong hands, they can destroy the very freedoms that technology should be nurturing, not extinguishing. Surveillance, without regard to the rule of law or our basic human dignity, creates societies that fear free expression and dissent, the very values that make America strong. In the long, dark shadow cast by the security state, a free society cannot thrive. That’s why one year ago I brought evidence of these irresponsible activities to the public—to spark the very discussion the U.S. government didn’t want the American people to have. With every revelation, more and more light coursed through a National Security Agency that had grown too comfortable operating in the dark and without public consent. Soon incredible things began occurring that would have been unimaginable years ago. A federal judge in open court called an NSA mass surveillance program likely unconstitutional and “almost Orwellian.” Congress and President Obama have called for an end to the dragnet collection of the intimate details of our lives. Today legislation to begin rolling back the surveillance state is moving in Congress after more than a decade of impasse. I am humbled by our collective successes so far. When the Guardian and The Washington Post began reporting on the NSA’s project to make privacy a thing of the past, I worried the risks I took to get the public the information it deserved would be met with collective indifference. One year later, I realize that my fears were unwarranted. Americans, like you, still believe the Constitution is the highest law of the land, which cannot be violated in secret in the name of a false security. Some say I’m a man without a country, but that’s not true. America has always been an ideal, and though I’m far away, I’ve never felt as connected to it as I do now, watching the necessary debate unfold as I hoped it would. America, after all, is always at our fingertips; that is the power of the Internet. But now it’s time to keep the momentum for serious reform going so the conversation does not die prematurely. Only then will we get the legislative reform that truly reins in the NSA and puts the government back in its constitutional place. Only then will we get the secure technologies we need to communicate without fear that silently in the background, our very own government is collecting, collating, and crunching the data that allows unelected bureaucrats to intrude into our most private spaces, analyzing our hopes and fears. Until then, every American who jealously guards their rights must do their best to engage in digital self-defense and proactively protect their electronic devices and communications. Every step we can take to secure ourselves from a government that no longer respects our privacy is a patriotic act. We’ve come a long way, but there’s more to be done. Edward J. Snowden, American P.S. Check out and share the ACLU’s new video about the last year in the surveillance debate, “They knew our secrets. One year later, we know theirs.”

Please note: If you forward or distribute, the links will open a page with your information filled in.

This email was sent to: jbennet@uark.edu This email was sent by: American Civil Liberties Union 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor New York, NY10004, USA SNOWDEN AND THE ACLU

1.    Edward Snowden is a Patriot | American Civil Liberties Union

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3.    Edward Snowden Is a Patriot | Anthony D. Romero

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5.    ACLU Chief: Greenwald Will Reveal Spying on US Muslims

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1.   Snowden Needs Your Help‎

On October 6, Nation editor and publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel and contributing editor Stephen F. Cohen (professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and Princeton) sat down in Moscow for a wide-ranging discussion with Edward Snowden. Throughout their nearly four-hour conversation, which lasted considerably longer than planned (see below for audio excerpts), the youthful-appearing Snowden was affable, forthcoming, thoughtful and occasionally humorous. Among other issues, he discussed the price he has paid for speaking truth to power, his definition of patriotism and accountability, and his frustration with America’s media and political system. The interview has been edited and abridged for publication, compressing lengthy conversations about technological issues that Snowden has discussed elsewhere. The Nation: It’s very good to be here with you. We visit Moscow often for our work and to see old friends, but you didn’t choose to be in Russia. Are you able to use your time here to work and have some kind of social life? Or do you feel confined and bored? Snowden: I describe myself as an indoor cat, because I’m a computer guy and I always have been. I don’t go out and play football and stuff—that’s not me. I want to think, I want to build, I want to talk, I want to create. So, ever since I’ve been here, my life has been consumed with work that’s actually fulfilling and satisfying.  MORE

1. http://www.thenation.com/article/186129/snowden-exile-exclusive-interview?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=email_nation&utm_campaign=Email%20Nation%20%28NEW%29%20-%20Most%20Recent%20Content%20Feed%2020141028&newsletter=email_nation

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Rick, Public Citizen
to James

The Anti-Empire Report #129

Edward Snowden

REVIEW OF GREENWALD’S NO PLACE TO HIDE By Dick Bennett

     Greenwald offers Snowden the highest praises throughout No Place to Hide ( 18, 23, 31, 36); for example: “Quite simply, he has reminded everyone about the extraordinary ability of any human being to change the world” (253).  In addition to this praise of Snowden, Greenwald’s book is a paean to whistleblowers.   Referring to “remarkable disclosures from courageous whistleblowers,” Greenwald adds: “Everyone living in a democracy, everyone who values transparency and accountability, owes these whistleblowers a huge debt of gratitude,” from  Daniel Ellsberg to Chelsea Manning, Jesselyn Radack, Thomas Tamm, Thomas Drake, Bill Binney.  (“Acknowledgments”).    Greenwald tried “to make his superiors aware of problems in computer security or systems he thought skirted ethical lines.  Those efforts, he said, were almost always rebuffed” p. 42).     And of course we owe the same gratitude to investigative reporters like Greenwald and his colleague, Laura Poitras. 

      Something else should be observed about them and their success in bringing to light “the ubiquitous system of suspicionless surveillance” constructed by the U.S. and its allies.  It was no simple matter of Snowden dispatching the NSA files to these two reporters, and all was light.  The stature of Snowden, Greenwald, Poitras themselves, and of The Guardian newspaper, and others, was essential to eventual success.  As soon as the first file was published in The Guardian, Snowden was hunted for capture by the world’s most powerful surveillance state.   Over and over the accounts by Luke Harding (The Snowden Files), Greenwald, and others reveal how crucial was the judgment of the central actors in ensuring the privacy of their communications, avoiding arrest, and in deflecting efforts by mainstream media to attack Snowden and minimize the importance of the files.  At the end of his book, Greenwald observes: “There is a powerful lesson here for future whistle-blowers: speaking the truth does not have to destroy your life.”  But you must be especially brave, expert, articulate, shrewd, and lucky during the process.    

“No Place to Hide review – Glenn Greenwald's compelling account of NSA/GCHQ surveillance”

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o    Henry Porter

o    The Observer, Saturday 17 May 2014

o    Jump to comments (176)

1.           

Mr. Kerry: Here’s Why Snowden Can’t ‘Make His Case’ in ‘Our System of Justice’

Juan Cole, Op-Ed, NationofChange, June 2, 2014: Secretary of State John Kerry said that Edward Snowden should “return home and come back here and stand in our system of justice and make his case.” Kerry seems to have a high opinion of the Department of Justice and the U.S. courts when it comes to national security issues. I can’t imagine for the life of me why. Kerry is either amazingly ignorant or being disingenuous when he suggests that Snowden would be allowed to “make his case” if he returned to the U.S. READ  |  DISCUSS  |  SHARE JAMES RISEN, PAY ANY PRICE Risen gives “conclusive proof that Snowden could never have triggered a national debate by working within the system” (265).  “…a draconian crackdown on leaks by the Obama administration has made it far more difficult for the public to find out how electronic surveillance and domestic spying have grown.  Few are willing to face what Diane Roark, Tom Drake, or Edward Snowden have endured” (263-4).  As example, Risen describes how fear extended even to the floor of the U. S. Senate and even to Senator Ron Wyden, who had been a critic of the Bush and Obama administrations’ use of “secret Justice Department legal opinions and secret court opinions to pervert the law in order to get away with massive domestic spying operations.”  Only after Snowden’s leaks did Wyden “say publicly exactly what he had been warning about for years” (264-65).   Read Risen’s chapter, “The War on Truth.”  –Dick Six Memorable Quotes From Edward Snowden's NBC Interview  John Knefel, Rolling Stone, Reader Supported News, June 2, 2014  Knefel writes: “Though Edward Snowden is one of the most scrutinized figures alive today, there was still much to be learned from the broadcast. Here are six of the most memorable moments, in his words.”  READ MORE Contact President Obama—and all of your friends, your lists, your political leaders all levels, our democracy is in grave danger. CONTACT THE PRESIDENT, YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, YOUR COLLEGE (if it and the faculty are silent), buy related books (support pro-transparency and democracy publishers and book sellers), protest all who advocate or defend totalitarian methods. From the White House:  Write or Call [TAKE HIM UP ON THE OFFER.  Find one official and continue to call, make her him feel your indignation before it’s so repressive it won’t make any difference.] President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. That begins with taking comments and questions from you, the public, through our website. Call the President PHONE NUMBERS Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 TTY/TTD Comments: 202-456-6213 Visitor's Office: 202-456-2121 Write a letter to the President Here are a few simple things you can do to make sure your message gets to the White House as quickly as possible. 1. If possible, email us! This is the fastest way to get your message to President Obama. 2. If you write a letter, please consider typing it on an 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper. If you hand-write your letter, please consider using pen and writing as neatly as possible. 3. Please include your return address on your letter as well as your envelope. If you have an email address, please consider including that as well. 4. And finally, be sure to include the full address of the White House to make sure your message gets to us as quickly and directly as possible: The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC20500 Also see Surveillance/NSA, Secrecy, National Security State and related newsletters.  For example: Contents of Surveillance/NSA Newsletter #11 Resistance Action: Support the USA Freedom Act Hattem, Congress Asks Obama for Black Budgets of Federal   Spy Agencies US Surveillance State Scahill and Greenwald, NSA and Assassinations Paglen, Photos of US Intelligence Agencies Hussain, More Secrecy Abuses Greenwald, James Clapper, Obama’s Top Security Officer,   Liar and Fear-Monger Jim Hightower, NSA and Snowden Greenwald, Poitras, Scahill: Welcome to The   Intercept, New Online Magazine   Dan Froomkin, Toll of Secrecy   Terrah Baker, “The Intercept” Chris Hedges, US Leaders Talk Democracy, Practice Repression Contents Snowden Newsletter #1 (in reverse chron. order, bold type added by Dick) (Some entries offer contexts.) Petitions July 13:  Ellsberg, Why Snowden Had to Flee US July 8/15:  Schell, Hero Snowden vs. End of Privacy July 5: Weisbrot, Helping Snowden July 5: Pilger, Morales’ Plane Forced Down June 26:  Blum, Dark History of US NSS, vs.  Phillip Agee June 24:  Lindorff, Hong Kong, China, Russia vs. Hacker USA June 20:  Pew Poll, US Public Majority Supports Prosecution June 19:  Greenwald, FISA Fails Oversight June 13: Greenwald, Snowden, Who Is He? Contents Snowden Newsletter #2 Snowden’s letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel Amy Goodman, Democracy Now: Snowden on Mass Surveillance Snowden on Civil Rights Ray McGovern: Snowden Wins Integrity Award Risen and Poitras, NSA Gathers Social Connections Rendall and McCloskey, Mainstream Media Misrepresents Muslims Greenwald, US Hypocrisy Over Russian Amnesty for Snowden Ridgeway and Casella, Torture Oliver Stone, Obama and Snowden Masters, Mainstream Media Labels Snowden a “Narcissist” Contents Snowden Newsletter #3  PETITIONS from Roots Action The Leaked Documents Copy of Snowden’s Leaked Docs (from Marc) Macaskill and Dance, What the Docs Mean The Leaker Snowden Weisbrot, “An American Hero” Reitman, Snowden and Greenwald Smale, No Treason in Trying to Stop Eavesdropping Avaaz, Asylum for Snowden Savage, Snowden Honored by Freedom of the Press Foundation Contexts McGovern, Snowden’s “Freedom” in Russia Snowden Joins Board of Press Group Founded by Ellsberg Sirota, Snowden’s “Freedom” in the US:  Assassination? Radyuhin, Snowden Asks Russians for Protection Related Borger, European Countries’ Spy Agencies and Mass Surveillance Contents CITIZEN! Snowden Newsletter #4 April 15, 2014 Dick, OMNI Brings Ray McGovern to Fayetteville, AR, and UAF Pulitzers to Snowden Newspapers and Journalists Roots Action:  Petition to President Obama Watchdog, Petition to Give Snowden Nobel Peace Prize Luke Harding, The Snowden Files Hightower:   NSA and Snowden, “ Why He Matters” Snowden, US Mass Surveillance Endangers Liberty Richard Latimer, Necessity Defense Maiello, Whistleblower, Immunity Reporting Snowden in Mainstream Media, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Contents Snowden Newsletter #5 Snowdon, We’re All Being Spied On Greenwald, His New Book on Snowden, NSA, and US Corporate Mainstream     Media:  No Place to Hide, Publisher’s Description  Greenwald’s Reply to Kinsley’s Review of No Place to Hide Greenwald, Earliest Events in the Meeting of Snowden and Greenwald/Poitras Snowden and Greenwald on TV      PBS, Frontline,”The USA of Secrets”      Amy Goodman, Democracy Now Interview of Greenwald Greenwald’s New Website, The Intercept Hussain, John Yoo Attacks Pulitzer Prize END SNOWDEN NEWSLETTER #6