Of all you've written in this thread I still have no clue whether you support Snowden or are against him. Me, I support the exposing of our government spying on us (American people) I do not support, however, exposing the process of our government's intelligence gathering when it comes to China, Russia and all the others out there and telling them exactly how we do it.
Sorry, I do not support that.
I support Snowjob, here’s why:
WTF did he actually do? Uhm, he gave us the name of the new flavor of government overreach and the updated model, which does basically the same thing as the last model.
He so with a bit of panache’(fk the French) and at about the right time.
So called out PRISM but it’s rightfull name? WTF does anyone care?
Should the government be granted “Whole Pipe” access to anyone’s records and contents? You’re not doing anything wrong, so you have nothing to hide, right?
Well, what if you are communicting with friends, in private but, in much the same manner of tone used in open mouth to ear conversation?
I’d kill so and so! /s Now, we know you don’t mean that but, you are expressing an emotion of outrage. Doesn’t mean you’ll act on it and besides the comment was made among friends who understand you and the context.
No problemo.
Well, what if a government grabbazz sees this and says “Hmmm, I could make a nice shinny star appear right next to my name if I investigate and bust this fool. My bosses might reward me with a slightly better salary and definitely a leg on the ladder I so desperately want to ascend and I don’t care who it costs. I don’t know this fool”
So, said jack wagon decides to start perusing your communications, social boards, phone calls, emails, credit cards, you know; start building a profile on you.
Should he be allowed access to information that no one is allowed access to simply because he is from the government?
Well, uhm, Fk NO!
If my neighbor has no lawful right to any of that then no drip head government employee or contractor ought to have the right to any of it.
Snowden is right on this. Our allies and vile neighbors already new we were doing this and expect it. Heck, they’re doing it to.
But, domestic survellience that involves a sweeping up of huge swaths of private communication when you are trying to surveil some particular person is wrong.
Wrong, freaking wrong, wrong, wrong.
How do we know the IRS doesn’t share our information with others?
How do we know the various agencies don’t share our information others?
Well, we know they do and sometimes publicly such as releasing the tax return of certain groups or individuals to news organizations who are only too happy to act as government apparatchiks.