American whistleblower Edward Snowden recently gave a lengthy interview at an event hosted by acTVism. “Freedom & Democracy—Global Issues in Context,” moderated by acTVism Munich founder and senior editor Zain Raza, also featured interviews with philosopher Srecko Horvat, Real News Network founder Paul Jay, economist Richard D. Wolff, Intercept founding editor Jeremy Scahill, and German writer Jürgen Todenhöfer.
Speaking via video link from Russia, where he has been living since the U.S. revealed espionage charges against him in 2013, Snowden began by discussing the dark history of intelligence agencies and what it says about the U.S. government today. His remarks begin at the 2:58:30 mark in the video above.
“This is what they do in the dark,” Snowden states after highlighting past instances of illegal behavior by the government. “This is what happens when you’re not looking.”
He continues:
The government [is] not actually concerned with saving lives, protecting programs, ensuring that human sources or the efficacy of our security apparatus continues unimpeded. What they’re looking for are easy arguments. Things that sound persuasive at first glance.
Snowden also talks about whistleblower Chelsea Manning, whose prison term was recently commuted by President Obama; weaknesses in mainstream media; mass surveillance; and the newly inaugurated President Donald Trump.
“I think the focus on Trump is a mistake,” Snowden argues. “Faith in elected leaders to fix our problems is the mistake that we keep repeating.”
“When President Obama was elected to the White House, he said all the right things,” Snowden continues. “If we’re hoping for a champion, if we’re waiting for a hero, we’ll be waiting forever.”
http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/edward_snowden_faith_in_elected_leaders_is_a_20170121
Where is Ed and Elane Brown, The Hammonds, The bundies? Whats going to happen to Lavoy Finicome, and Jack Yantis’s murderers?
What are you going to do about the government atrocities Mr Trump?
Most likely Trump will multiply those atrocities. Then all his fans will clap, cheer, and wave the flag as whatever scraps remain of the Bill of Rights are shredded into even tinier pieces.
Of course Snowden is correct about this, but Americans (and those in other countries) won’t listen either to him or to the lessons of history. Eventually they’ll have to learn the hard way that totalitarian evil is always waiting for its opportunity.
Thanks, Eddie. Once again, tell us something we don’t know. I’m guessing your buddy Vlad will talk to his buddy Don and they’ll sort your whole mess out and bring you back here with a pardon, soon, right?
Unfrigginbelievable……..