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In reply to the discussion: State Department Brief Today on Snowden. Unbelievable [View all]Eric J in MN
(35,619 posts)153. Here is Edward Snowden's statement from Moscow.
You can decide if it's propaganda.
Hello. My name is Ed Snowden. A little over one month ago, I had family, a home in paradise, and I lived in great comfort. I also had the capability without any warrant to search for, seize, and read your communications. Anyones communications at any time. That is the power to change peoples fates.
It is also a serious violation of the law. The 4th and 5th Amendments to the Constitution of my country, Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and numerous statutes and treaties forbid such systems of massive, pervasive surveillance. While the US Constitution marks these programs as illegal, my government argues that secret court rulings, which the world is not permitted to see, somehow legitimize an illegal affair. These rulings simply corrupt the most basic notion of justice that it must be seen to be done. The immoral cannot be made moral through the use of secret law.
I believe in the principle declared at Nuremberg in 1945: "Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring."
Accordingly, I did what I believed right and began a campaign to correct this wrongdoing. I did not seek to enrich myself. I did not seek to sell US secrets. I did not partner with any foreign government to guarantee my safety. Instead, I took what I knew to the public, so what affects all of us can be discussed by all of us in the light of day, and I asked the world for justice.
That moral decision to tell the public about spying that affects all of us has been costly, but it was the right thing to do and I have no regrets.
Since that time, the government and intelligence services of the United States of America have attempted to make an example of me, a warning to all others who might speak out as I have. I have been made stateless and hounded for my act of political expression. The United States Government has placed me on no-fly lists. It demanded Hong Kong return me outside of the framework of its laws, in direct violation of the principle of non-refoulement the Law of Nations. It has threatened with sanctions countries who would stand up for my human rights and the UN asylum system. It has even taken the unprecedented step of ordering military allies to ground a Latin American presidents plane in search for a political refugee. These dangerous escalations represent a threat not just to the dignity of Latin America, but to the basic rights shared by every person, every nation, to live free from persecution, and to seek and enjoy asylum.
Yet even in the face of this historically disproportionate aggression, countries around the world have offered support and asylum. These nations, including Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador have my gratitude and respect for being the first to stand against human rights violations carried out by the powerful rather than the powerless. By refusing to compromise their principles in the face of intimidation, they have earned the respect of the world. It is my intention to travel to each of these countries to extend my personal thanks to their people and leaders.
I announce today my formal acceptance of all offers of support or asylum I have been extended and all others that may be offered in the future. With, for example, the grant of asylum provided by Venezuelas President Maduro, my asylee status is now formal, and no state has a basis by which to limit or interfere with my right to enjoy that asylum. As we have seen, however, some governments in Western European and North American states have demonstrated a willingness to act outside the law, and this behavior persists today. This unlawful threat makes it impossible for me to travel to Latin America and enjoy the asylum granted there in accordance with our shared rights.
This willingness by powerful states to act extra-legally represents a threat to all of us, and must not be allowed to succeed. Accordingly, I ask for your assistance in requesting guarantees of safe passage from the relevant nations in securing my travel to Latin America, as well as requesting asylum in Russia until such time as these states accede to law and my legal travel is permitted. I will be submitting my request to Russia today, and hope it will be accepted favorably.
If you have any questions, I will answer what I can.
Thank you.
http://wikileaks.org/Statement-by-Edward-Snowden-to.html
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It depends on whether or not you are interested in facts. I read all of it and was shocked at
sabrina 1
Jul 2013
#171
My first impression - that the male reporter cut the female spokesperson off before she could
karynnj
Jul 2013
#62
It's worth it to read the disgraceful equivocations by a govt. spokesperson in their
HardTimes99
Jul 2013
#63
I beg your pardon.My wife and I watched Kerry on TV in Colorado Springs be asked the question
HardTimes99
Jul 2013
#112
to Karyn[formerlyNJ-but now]VT, re: "limits to free speech" and the Fire/crowded theater meme...
RememberTheNinth
Aug 2013
#181
Read it whenevr you have timebut don't have any liguids near your keyboard when you do
Catherina
Jul 2013
#74
This OP is basically a giant copy-paste with some bold font here and there?
Pretzel_Warrior
Jul 2013
#4
Also, from the transcript these questioners...sound like complete a-holes
Pretzel_Warrior
Jul 2013
#5
Actually at least Matt is doing an awful job if the goal was to get the State Department
karynnj
Jul 2013
#66
No, they don't. They are members of the press, and if Snowden doesn't have the right to free
JDPriestly
Jul 2013
#22
Not stupid at all in my view. I thought it was for once a member of the press asking the right
JDPriestly
Jul 2013
#25
The Obama administration doesn't want Snowden to have the right to free speech.
JDPriestly
Jul 2013
#24
Took a long time, but it looks like what Snowden said and revealed woke them up to the simple
JDPriestly
Jul 2013
#26
We started a World Forum under Media, and we are going to try to catch some foreign views of
JDPriestly
Jul 2013
#48
I have no problem with relentless questioning - but it is important to allow answers to the
karynnj
Jul 2013
#75
He cut her off because she was avoiding answering his questions by speaking in broad generalities
JDPriestly
Jul 2013
#141
There is no honest answer to his questions other than, yes, we are depriving Edward Snowden
JDPriestly
Jul 2013
#145
They covered Morales plane when they came back from the 4th of July long weekend
Catherina
Jul 2013
#68
Ms. Psaki needs to repeat CYA101 and read "Weasal Words and Their Uses" again.
Tierra_y_Libertad
Jul 2013
#28
I read it and thanks for posting it. I say screw Kerry and the horse he rode in on.
byeya
Jul 2013
#35
It's totally cringeworthy. You almost want to help them because it's so bad n/t
Catherina
Jul 2013
#49
That's precisely why I didn't snip it. I tried but it took away the full effect
Catherina
Jul 2013
#53
It's pretty clear since HRW normally treats the US with deference and kid gloves
Catherina
Jul 2013
#73
They're not prepared for any of this type of questioning, are they? Stunning. K&R and bookmarked.
Jefferson23
Jul 2013
#71
embarrassing but perversely comforting to see the incompetence of the anti-Snowden PR
carolinayellowdog
Jul 2013
#94
May Mr. Snowden get to exercise his 6th Amendment rights very soon. nt
arely staircase
Jul 2013
#119
Too cool! I can't believe it's been tweeted 234 times and liked like that on FB. Thank you n/t
Catherina
Jul 2013
#158
Cool! Make some more room under the bus lol. I'm glad people are taking this seriously
Catherina
Jul 2013
#162