Posted on 07/01/2013 8:08:44 PM PDT by SatinDoll
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
Fort Marcy Park time.
I watched that movie yesturday.....though fiction it was intriguing that the man had people petitioning in Washington , throughout his life, for his freedom from his plight, and that to no avail.
Well Snowden definately burned his bridges when he left here as...and willingly so. He did count the cost but of course never anticipated he’d be ‘lost at sea’ for it.
Yes he is...and continues to work at it.
I am thinking Snowden thought he could outmanuever and outplay Obama....so I am beginning to see this now as between Obama and Snowden. So far Obama has Snowden in check...regardless of what he thinks he has...and I do think Putin is enjoying his hand in this as well.
Absolutely...It's why they now spy on and monitor law abiding citizens using the Internet, etc.
They hate the fact Americans are grouping together and talking on the Internet like it's a giant town square.
Government was much happier when people were gawking at slanted, mindless, biased fedgov controlled television.
Watch for more attempts of government wanting extreme control of the Internet in the future. Bet the rent.
Both Obama and Snowden are traitors, how’s that.
The old saw, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” isn’t necessarily reliable.
He ratted out a corrupt government who was bugging, monitoring, wiretapping, seizing phone records and hacking the Internet/emails of tens of millions of law abiding Americans, turning the Constitution and Bill of Rights on it’s head, and you call him the traitor?
lol...
I would not disagree..its a shame many calling themselves Conservatives don't have the same disdain for Snowden as Obama..
Excuse me, but it was corrupt sick government, not Snowden who was bugging, monitoring, wiretapping, seizing phone records and hacking the Internet/emails of tens of millions of law abiding Americans, turning the Constitution and Bill of Rights on its head.
Mr. Snowden exposed a massive government boondoggle that is violating the 4th amendment rights of every citizen who communicates to others through almost every medium. This type of intrusion could hardly be imagined by the founders of this country as it is exponentially worse than what the British ever attempted to impose.
It seems that you actually believe that this giant waste of resources is a legitimate means for protecting you from “terrorists”. I am not buying it... It is nothing but another grab for power over us all using every means possible. If you cannot recognize the threat that this form of tyranny is to our Republic then I think that you are the one who is having difficulty gasping the facts.
Snowden fears for an “accident” that is waiting for him. A terminal case of brain cancer or a “Hear Attack” Maybe a case of depression and self destruction. Watch as they turn this guy into the story—Not what he is reporting. they did it to Mitt Romney and won reelection—This will not end well. Snowden better take the Russian Deal and a job with the Russians—they would love to know what he does-—settle down, get married, join the Russian Church and have some kids. As long as he’s there he need fear no drone strike.
Excuse me, but it was corrupt sick government, not Snowden who was bugging, monitoring, wiretapping, seizing phone records and hacking the Internet/emails of tens of millions of law abiding Americans, turning the Constitution and Bill of Rights on its head.
Excuse me, If he anything but a traitor he would come back to the US and present his case in a government court.
Ya, that would work out great for him!
LOL!
Take a look around.
There are cameras on every intersection and in every store in America.
While they are recording EVERYTHING, they only review this stuff when there is just cause.
I don’t trust that Snowden is in Russia. At the least, Putin is using him. On the other hand, I think that if he came back, some ‘unfortunate’ accident would befall him. So he is in a nasty spot.
I have nothing in common with you and your Libertarian friends who insist on calling themselves Conservatives. Libertarians are not Conservatives and its useless to pretend otherwise....if you cant accept the security of the Country comes first and you are unwilling to have this traitor make his case under the rule of law..then I simply cannot suffer such foolishness..
Uhh, Yeah right... Did you forget to use the Sarcasm tag? So if Obama found out through illegitimate means (such as through sealed court records) that one of his political opponents had some type of vulnerability he would never use it for his advantage? Check Obama’s political history if you want to find the answer to that question.
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