Edward Snowden Honored by Ex-Intel Officials, awarded Sam Adams award

[Catherina]

Snowden Honored by Ex-Intel Officials
July 8, 2013

Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence, an organization of former national security officials, has honored NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, praising his decision to reveal the extent of U.S. government electronic surveillance of people in the United States and around the world.

...

When secrecy is misused to hide unconstitutional activities, fealty to that oath – and higher duty as citizens of conscience – dictate support for truth-tellers who summon the courage to blow the whistle. Edward Snowden’s disclosures fit the classic definition of whistle-blowing.

...

Former senior NSA executive Thomas Drake, who won the Sam Adams award in 2011, has called what Snowden did “an amazingly brave act of civil disobedience.” Drake knows whereof he speaks. As a whistleblower he reported waste, fraud, and abuse – as well as serious violations of the Fourth Amendment – through official channels and, subsequently, to a reporter. He wound up indicted under the Espionage Act.

...

The invective hurled at Snowden by the corporate and government-influenced media reflects understandable embarrassment that he would dare expose the collusion of all three branches of the U.S. government in perpetrating and then covering up their abuse of the Constitution. This same collusion has thwarted all attempts to pass laws that would protect genuine truth-tellers like Snowden who see and wish to stop unconstitutional activities.

...

The Sam Adams Award, named in honor of the late CIA analyst Sam Adams, has been given in previous years to truth-tellers Coleen Rowley of the FBI; Katharine Gun of British Intelligence; Sibel Edmonds of the FBI; Craig Murray, former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan; Sam Provance; former U.S. Army Sergeant at Abu Ghraib; Maj. Frank Grevil of Danish Army Intelligence; Larry Wilkerson, Colonel, U.S. Army (ret.), former chief of staff to Colin Powell at State; Julian Assange of WikiLeaks; Thomas Drake, former senior NSA official; Jesselyn Radack, Director of National Security and Human Rights, Government Accountability Project; and Thomas Fingar, former Assistant Secretary of State and Director, National Intelligence Council.

...

http://consortiumnews.com/2013/07/08/snowden-honored-by-ex-intel-officials/


Previous Winners | Sam Adams Awards | Oxford Union

[mia]

1. Snowden is in good company with this award.

Thanks for posting this.

[Katashi_itto]

2. But...but....Snowdens just lying.....!!!! he's a spy!!!!

He's a bad guy!!!!

Give us 5 minutes will come up with something else that he's awful about.

HE MAKES OBAMA LOOK BAD!!!!

[KittyWampus]

7. But… but… it's NOT ABOUT SNOWDEN….!!!!

did i get the punctuation correct?

[sabrina 1]

8. Well then stop making it about Snowden because apparently people are now following

your lead and decided to give him some attention. You should have stuck with the message in the first place.

[Katashi_itto]

9. Wasn't I sarcastic enough?

[DesertDiamond]

64. I caught the sarcasm!

[LondonReign2]

51. Derp, wut?

Sorry you won't be around long, have a nice day.

[Katashi_itto]

52. Derp X2

[HooptieWagon]

3. That will make some authoritarian DU heads explode.

[xiamiam]

5. great..and their heads need to explode so they can get them on right again

well deserved and right on time. These folks know what is in danger and what the risk is unlike our resident armchair experts.

[Catherina]

13. Too bad. Besides, those heads have exploded so many times, there's nothing left there n/t

[HooptieWagon]

20. When I was a little kid...

I once shot a pellet gun into a fresh pile of cowshit in a moment of great stupidity. It went everywhere! That is the visual I have of apologists heads exploding...bullshit flying everywhere.

[hootinholler]

16. I seriously doubt it

They are off where Catherina isn't being a dick insulting her and then laughing about it.

[HooptieWagon]

22. They're just Heathers.

If they want to post immature and dickish comments on a public message board, all the power to them. They're the ones who look foolish.

[Bobbie Jo]

55. Hilarious

That you can you can sit in the middle of this catty subthread and make a "Heathers" reference.

Insight, get some.

[bvar22]

60. "They're just Heathers."

Apt.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

35. I think it looks worse on them.

Being servile to authority will make anyone look like a bunch of assholes.

It certainly reflects poorly on that clique.

[warrprayer]

4. 3..2...1...

[marions ghost]

6. K& R and thanks for the video clip

with the previous winners telling their stories.

[WillyT]

10. HUGE K & R !!!

[NightWatcher]

11. I'm reminded of the SNL CIA Christmas party sketch

Everyone sits around neither confirming or denying stories that they can or cannot talk about. A bunch of spooks sitting around having a chat...I wonder who is breaking into their cars while they are in the meeting or rummaging through their jacket pockets in the coat room.

[ProSense]

12. Good for him,

but it doesn't change my opinion of him.

Kissinger won a Nobel Prize.

[hootinholler]

18. Wow, Snowden = Kissinger?

Thanks for that I needed a good laugh.

[ProSense]

23. You misunderstood.

"Wow, Snowden = Kissinger?"

I meant, his Nobel Prize hasn't change my opinion of Kissinger.

Besides, it's already established that Snowden = MLK, Rosa Parks, Paul Revere, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, Jesus, etc.

[randome]

38. Don't mention Revere! They will post...the picture again! Nooooo!

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]The truth doesn’t always set you free.
Sometimes it builds a bigger cage around the one you’re already in.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[Swagman]

59. how does someone have time to post over 100,000 times ?

[whatchamacallit]

24. They should have award presentations for folks like you

The awards shows could be named 'The Propa Awards' or 'The Shillbys'...

[ProSense]

26. There is already

They should have award presentations for folks like you

...an award for "folks like you."

Transparency: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=212880&sub=trans

[whatchamacallit]

31. Touche! Well played Pro, well played...

[OnyxCollie]

54. "Struggle4bullshit"

LOL!

[Bobbie Jo]

63. LMAO!

WIN!

[Civilization2]

28. So did Obama,. not seeing much "peace" out of him,. .

Did it change your view of him?

[Zorra]

14. Wow. Congratulations are in order. nt

[democrank]

15. How enlightening!

More folks realized this isn`t about genuflecting before Barack Obama, it`s about shining a light on unconstitutional activities.

[truedelphi]

17. Everybody - pls watch it. The video and the speakers and their remarks is priceless.

Much more information than I expected. And a huge education about the difficulties of what people go through in trying to expose the abuse of their fellow officers at the intelligence agencies.

[Civilization2]

30. +1

[think]

42. Great video. To hear their stories in their own words is priceless

Wish this was on the six o'clock news....

[felix_numinous]

19. Recommended!!

Since Bush's reign, I have reserved hope that someday good people of conscience from within the system would do something about the corruption-- because they are the expert witnesses.

Reform depends as much on them as it does on public pressure.

I am grateful to see such honorable people from within the intelligence communities, and respect them for standing up when they knew the consequences.



Thank you Catherina.

[Rex]

21. Amazing.

nt.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

25. But, but, but ...

... he's such a coward because he didn't stick around to get tortured!!! <add other reactionary bullshit>

Thanks for posting, Catherina! I've been reading your stuff since we talked last; just haven't had the time to post much. You've been all over this!

[Civilization2]

27. Excellent post! MUST WATCH stuff!!

Also do watch Assange give his input very interesting,.

This Dreamworks 'Wikileaks' film sounds like ZeroDark whatever it was,. a bunch more destructive corporate-military propaganda designed to misinform the ignorant.

Glad to see so many people listening to the truth at this event! More please.

[Catherina]

32. Thank you for posting that!

I was tempted to in the OP but didn't want to make it too long. I'm a few minutes into it now, it's excellent!

[Civilization2]

37. Thanks for the OP and the link to Consortiumnews.com

http://consortiumnews.com/

I am diving into this site, seems very well done. "when journalists failed to alert the public" this is altogether too common now,. since we have stopped seeing much actual journalism, and instead are told what Justin Beiber and his girlfriend have been up to 24/7. Do we really need to know what CNN is telling us??

[BornLooser]

29. Integrity in Intelligence

Ah me, if only it would be so...

[Life Long Dem]

33. Are they saying secrecy is misused to hide unconstitutional activities?

If so, does anyone know what unconstitutional activities they are talking about?

[truedelphi]

44. What I heard being described were abuses of power and also

Last edited Tue Jul 9, 2013, 05:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Actual murders!

I dd not hear the word "Unconstitutional" mentioned. However, to have a program that is of dubious status become classified material, so that it cannot even be discussed with those in the US Senate who are questioning what the program is and does, (and also probably how much it costs!) certainly does make a person wonder about how constitutional the program is. (And some of what is being discussed is the intelligence program in the UK, so of course, our constitution doesn't apply there.)

[cantbeserious]

34. Thank You For Sharing

eom

[Douglas Carpenter]

36. the video is very moving and well worth watching

[railsback]

39. So, it IS about Snowden

.. as long as there's a reward in it.

[MjolnirTime]

40. if only this award could keep him out of prison...

[Amonester]

41. I see them talk, but not any evidence of their claims.

I could accuse anyone I don't like of the worst crimes ever too.

That's easy.

[proverbialwisdom]

43. Obviously, being vetted by this group of amazing insiders matters enormously.

Last edited Sun Aug 18, 2013, 05:36 PM - Edit history (1)

Who without an agenda wouldn't defer judgement to their collective expertise?

http://wlcentral.org/node/2890

2013-08-17 Sam Adams statement on award to Snowden
Submitted by WLC on Sat, 08/17/2013 - 18:22

[indepat]

45. What a searing indictment of big brother's misfeasance, if not malfeasance.

Big brother might take notice of what people in the know and who know the details of its chicanery are saying.

[Spirochete]

46. I'm sure he'll be

cruising into town to pick it up any time now...

[G_j]

47. I have been impressed

by the quality of people supporting his act.

[burnodo]

48. oh no no, no no no no

Snowden bad. Supporters bad. USA good! (except Republicans)

[Dragonfli]

49. *breaking* Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence is really a Ron Paul front group!

You heard it here first people! another stealth libertarian group has been discovered after they foolishly tipped their hand by showing support for Ron Pauls plant "Ed Snow".

These libertarians are everywhere! The entire country is infested with little other than Paulbots!
They are worse than the commies were even when they were hiding under most American beds!!!

[woo me with science]

53. This is magnificent!

And these people know...

Huge K&R.

[h2ebits]

56. Keep up the good work, Catherina.

I've been following your posts regarding Snowden and really appreciate the news that you are sharing with us. I don't post very often because of the derision and nastiness that comes with it but I am a DU faithful follower.

The truth will eventually overcome. . . .we just need to stand strong.

[Octafish]

57. Those are patriots.

The Sam Adams Award, named in honor of the late CIA analyst Sam Adams, has been given in previous years to truth-tellers Coleen Rowley of the FBI; Katharine Gun of British Intelligence; Sibel Edmonds of the FBI; Craig Murray, former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan; Sam Provance; former U.S. Army Sergeant at Abu Ghraib; Maj. Frank Grevil of Danish Army Intelligence; Larry Wilkerson, Colonel, U.S. Army (ret.), former chief of staff to Colin Powell at State; Julian Assange of WikiLeaks; Thomas Drake, former senior NSA official; Jesselyn Radack, Director of National Security and Human Rights, Government Accountability Project; and Thomas Fingar, former Assistant Secretary of State and Director, National Intelligence Council.

[bullwinkle428]

58. Sam Adams award? Well, then he's clearly an alcoholic!!

BURN HIM AT THE STAKE!!1!1!

[AllINeedIsCoffee]

61. I bet an honorary degree from the University of Phoenix is coming next. nt

[bvar22]

62. Thank You, Catherina!

[font size=3]When secrecy is misused to hide unconstitutional activities, fealty to that oath – and higher duty as citizens of conscience – dictate support for truth-tellers who summon the courage to blow the whistle. Edward Snowden’s disclosures fit the classic definition of whistle-blowing.

[/font]






[font color=firebrick size=3][center]"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone[/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]

[font size=5 color=firebrick]Solidarity![/font]