Snowden: Shooting the Messenger

by Stephen Lendman Saturday, Jun. 29, 2013 at 3:38 AM
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net

police state

Snowden: Shooting the Messenger

by Stephen Lendman

A previous article said challenging US lawlessness more than ever matters. Big Brother spying reflects it. Unprecedented global surveillance is official US policy.

Everyone can be monitored all the time, everywhere, for any reason or none at all. National security threats are fabricated. America's only enemies are ones it creates.

The ACLU said "(i)t's time to get angry. (It's) "Time to Rein in the Surveillance State." Stop lawless US spying. Mega-data-mining's unconstitutional.

"This unprecedented surveillance strikes at the core of our right to free speech, association, and privacy."

"On June 10, 2013, the ACLU filed a motion with the FISA Court seeking the release of its secret opinions that enable the mass acquisition of phone records."

Anything goes is policy. Hegemons make their own rules. They operate extrajudicially. Snowden revealed what everyone needs to know. He did so heroically. He's vilified for doing the right thing.

He's wrongfully charged under the 1917 Espionage Act. It's a WW I era relic. It's used irresponsibly to silence dissent. It targets whistleblowers. Washington calls Snowden a fugitive. He exposed government espionage. He didn't commit it.

The White House warned Russia not to release him. It wants him arrested and extradited. Vladimir Putin won't roll over. He was clear and unequivocal.

"He's a free man," he said. He can do whatever he wishes. He's a human rights defender. Moscow won't hand him over. He's wrongfully judged guilty by accusation.

He'll be brutalized in America's hands. Maybe he'll be killed to silence him. House Speaker and other congressional members called him a traitor.

They accused him of treason. They did so irresponsibly. They're guilty of high crimes. Changing the narrative targets Snowden.

An unnamed senior Obama official said:

"Mr. Snowden

Original: Snowden: Shooting the Messenger