Alternative News Media Would Confer
Highest Honor On Edward Snowden …
If It Had One
No one in modern history single-handedly altered the geo-political chessboard of the world so radically and quickly as did Edward Snowden. In short, the man is a giant. He is also a giant killer in the same exalted category as “David felling Goliath”, only Edward is MUCH bigger!
Quite expectedly, the mainstream media (MSM) has ignored many of the most profound and fundamental changes that Snowden’s revelations have wrought in virtually every sphere of life around the globe. In truth the Snowden Revelations have forever changed the way the world operates. Everything from international diplomacy to global commerce, from national sovereignty protection to national internet management, from intergovernmental communication to United Nations protocols have been deeply affected for the better.
Because of Edward’s extraordinarily courageous and self-sacrificing initiative to expose the NSA PRISM surveillance program, the world is now a much better place. His unusually brave actions were carried out at an age (in his late 20s) when most of his peers are much busier looking out for themselves than others, which make his sacrifice all the more exceptional.
How else can we say this: E D W A R D S N O W D E N is perhaps the greatest hero the planet has known throughout this New Millennium! There, we said it. Something that will never appear in or uttered by the MSM.
What Edward Snowden truly accomplished for the liberation of the human race will not be fully know for decades to come.
That’s because the numerous governments involved, their corporate collaborators and the mainstream media will make sure that the most consequential truths are never revealed. They have already been working overtime to squeeze off the pipeline of Snowden Revelations coming from the MSM outlets such as The Guardian.
What we have seen in the MSM are various statements issued by Presidents and Prime Ministers, Corporate CEOs and Foundation Chairs. The vast majority of these pronouncements repeat the same sentiment: NSA spying must be stopped; their routine and criminal invasion of privacy must cease post haste.
The other point of general agreement is that the state (aka the US Federal Government) has unlawfully arrogated power unto itself to illegally spy on the entire world. This is the awesome legacy of the Snowden Revelations. Yes, everyone to some degree has known that government snooping has been way out of control. However, no one really knew the situation was so over the top … until Edward pushed the upload button.
Because of the global connectivity of the internet, entities like the NSA, CIA, DIA, FBI, DEA, etc. can acquire a warrant to tap internet, telephonic and other electronic communications in a heartbeat. The courts that oversee this process are nothing but a rubber stamp on ‘law enforcement’ requests for clandestine surveillance that are oftentimes unjustifiably submitted. The Snowden Revelations exposed this whole surreptitious process and procedure for its admitted lack of integrity.
REAL whistleblowers are the bravest of the lot because of what they go up against, and what they knowingly sacrifice!
One of the reasons why truly great heroes like Snowden are never given their due is because the very system which created them doesn’t want to admit the truth. The same system also created the term “whistleblower”, and then very begrudgingly allows for the whistleblower to receive their rightful praise and commendation. Depending on the act of courage, the MSM even takes great pains to contextualize certain whistleblowers in a subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, pejorative context. Everyone has heard the term snitch … or much worse — traitor!
This shading of the label “whistleblower” has done a terrible dis-service to the Edward Snowdens of the world. By deliberately casting many of them in a less than positive light, future heroes are discouraged from stepping forward. Not only are they not afforded the accolades that they richly deserve, they are sometimes made the victim of completely unwarranted persecution … or prosecution at worst.
Here are two perfect examples of the MSM carrying water for the NSA et al.
Snowden stole ‘keys to the kingdom’: NSA official – Yahoo News
Runner-Up: Edward Snowden The Dark Prophet | TIME.com
Let’s face it, the US Federal Government had the most to lose from the endless worldwide fallout let loose by the Snowden Revelations. It also exerts the most control over international diplomacy, military assets, media, commerce, academia, scientific research, etc. Therefore, these revelations pose a greater threat to US hegemony than any other similar act in recent history. That’s because they revealed the primary mechanisms and MOs by which such NSA ‘oversight’ (sometimes known as ‘overheard) is implemented in every corner of the world.
Furthermore, the Snowden Revelations quite effectively laid bare the intelligence infrastructure of the Orwellian snooping superstructure which had been insidiously created over decades. He was also very purposeful about acquiring just the right proof of impropriety where it concerned the usurpation of national sovereignty. Nations such as Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico and India are angrier than ever at the gross violations of governmental privacy which have been systematically committed by the NSA.
Exactly what did Edward Snowden reveal for the benefit of his fellow countrymen, as well as his fellow residents of Planet Earth?
“Snowden’s release of NSA material was called the most significant leak in U.S. history by Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg. A series of exposés was published in June 2013 revealing Internet surveillance programs such as PRISM, XKeyscore and Tempora, as well as the interception of US and European telephone metadata. The reports were based on disclosures Snowden leaked to The Guardian and The Washington Post while employed by NSA contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. By November 2013, the Guardian had published 1 percent of the documents, with “the worst yet to come”. ”
(Per Wikipedia — Edward Snowden)
Surely you just read that only 1% has been published and that the “the worst yet to come”. In view of how much of a tizzy the “Intelligence Establishment” has been thrown into, we’d say that they are in for a dizzying ride for the next few years, yes?!
The primary publisher of the Snowden Revelations is The Guardian. Therefore, the following link is a great place to begin digging through the info treasure trove that Edward Snowden has bequeathed to humankind.
His quite awesome endeavor, according to Snowden himself, was put into motion for the sole purpose of informing the citizenry of the profound violation of the public trust which NSA spying had become as an ongoing enterprise. Likewise, he felt it was his moral, legal and civic obligation to reveal the extent to which the social contract between citizen and government has been broken. In his own words Edward Snowden has expressed his sole motive as follows:
“To inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.”
In times past some of the recipients of TIME’s Man of the Year distinction were individuals who were not the best examples of what humanity might aspire to. However, the realm of alternative media has a completely different take on such a high profile and worldwide honor. Especially in the digital age is it necessary to applaud the actions of those who have sacrificed so much for the benefit of humanity; because of how far and wide such accolades are disseminated. The young minds and hearts are particularly impressionable, and so they ought to be indelibly imprinted with the ideals of true heroism.
Thank you, Edward Snowden, for your glowing example for decades to come ! ! !
Michael Thomas
State of the Nation
December 16, 2013
admin@stateofthenation2012.com
Author’s Note:
It was just reported yesterday that NSA officials are considering offering asylum to Edward Snowden in return for his assurance that all materials taken from the NSA
will be returned. Such is their desperation to shut off the slow drip of top secret and
highly classified information into the public domain via the internet.
NSA officials consider Edward Snowden amnesty in return for documents | The Guardian
How can this genie ever be put back into the bottle? It cannot. Nevertheless, the NSA
feels compelled to negotiate a deal that gives them the ‘comfort’ of being promised
that there will be no more extremely damaging leaks. This leak will be dripping for
a long time, no doubt.
References:
Federal judge rules NSA program is likely unconstitutional
NSA SPYING Triggers Greatest International Crisis Of New Millennium
NSA official: Europeans outraged over NSA spying, threaten action
Europe falls out of love with Obama over NSA spying claims
European Parliament Joins List Of Those Upset With The NSA
Germans wonder why it took Merkel so long to get angry over NSA spying
Edward Snowden awarded with German ‘whistleblower prize’
Germany and France warn NSA spying fallout jeopardises fight against terror
NSA snooping angers France; Obama forced to defend and reiterate pledge to review the programs
French Condemn Surveillance by N.S.A.
NSA spying row spreads in Europe, angry Spain summons US envoy
NSA Surveillance Angers Our Allies!
Mexico lashes out against report of U.S. spying
Mexico to summon U.S. ambassador over spying allegations
As Brazil’s fury over NSA mounts, U.S. vows to work through tensions
US admits spying ‘questionable’ to angry Brazil
Brazil’s Rousseff Trashes US Over NSA Spying
NSA spied on Indian embassy and UN mission, Edward Snowden files reveal
NSA angers Feinstein, one of its key allies in Congress
The NSA Strikes Again, Angers Google
Reports that NSA taps into Google and Yahoo data hubs infuriate tech giants
Furious Tech Giants Fight Back Against NSA Surveillance
© 2013 State of the Nation
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