Whistle Blower Edward Snowden, Enemy of the State or What, a New Important Debate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❓❓
Big Brother Watching You ? Apparently… The armada of devices plugged into the Internet, in fact is transforming the world-wide network into a bizarre place, combined with the US Government’s recent Admissions, Congressional Hearings, all of which formulates an equation.
Equation Metaphorically: George Orwell’s 1984 + Candid Camera runs Wild + Jerry Bruckheimer’s 1998 Movie "Enemy of the State" = The IRS and NSA data mining surveillance of the entire American Population for potential discriminatory Political Purposes, in the name of National Security, or a terrible Abuse of Power.
Add to the Equation a New "Whistle Blower" Edward Snowden, a NSA contractor and former CIA employee, a 29 year old American, who recently exposed the NSA’s engaging in "Data Mining Surveillance" on the entire American Population, all emails, all telephone calls, all text messages, all digital videos from all public traffic cameras, and all other sources.
The individual responsible for one of the most significant leaks in US political history is Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and current employee of the defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. Snowden has been working at the National Security Agency for the last four years as an employee of various outside contractors, including Booz Allen and Dell. Apparently the interview was conducted in a hotel room in Hong Cong on June 6, 2013. Below is a link to this 12 minute one-on-one revealing interview.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/09/edward-snowden-nsa-whistleblower-surveillance
The Guardian, after several days of interviews, is revealing his identity at his request. From the moment he decided to disclose numerous top-secret documents to the public, he was determined not to opt for the protection of anonymity. "I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong" he said.
Peter King, the chairman of the House homeland security subcommittee, called for Snowden’s extradition from Hong Kong. Snowden flew there 10 days ago to disclose top-secret documents and to give interviews to the Guardian.
Peter King says "If Edward Snowden did in fact leak the NSA data as he claims, the United States government must prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law and begin extradition proceedings at the earliest date." King is a New York Republican. "The United States must make it clear that no country should be granting this individual asylum. This is a matter of extraordinary consequence to American intelligence."
Snowden may go down in history as one of America’s most consequential whistle-blowers, alongside Daniel Ellsberg and Bradley Manning. He is responsible for handing over material from one of the world’s most secretive organisations, the NSA.
In a note accompanying the first set of documents he provided, he wrote: "I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions," but "I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant."
Despite his determination to be publicly unveiled, he repeatedly insisted that he wants to avoid the media spotlight. "I don’t want public attention because I don’t want the story to be about me. I want it to be about what the US government is doing."
He does not fear the consequences of going public, he said, only that doing so will distract attention from the issues raised by his disclosures. "I know the media likes to personalize political debates, and I know the government will demonise me."
Despite these fears, he remained hopeful his outing will not divert attention from the substance of his disclosures. "I really want the focus to be on these documents and the debate which I hope this will trigger among citizens around the globe about what kind of world we want to live in." He added: "My sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them."
He has had "a very comfortable life" that included a salary of roughly $200,000, a girlfriend with whom he shared a home in Hawaii, a stable career, and a family he loves. "I’m willing to sacrifice all of that because I can’t in good conscience allow the US government to destroy privacy, internet freedom, and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they’re secretly building."
Three weeks ago, Snowden made final preparations that resulted in last week’s series of blockbuster news stories. At the NSA office in Hawaii where he was working, he copied the last set of documents he intended to disclose.
He then advised his NSA supervisor that he needed to be away from work for "a couple of weeks" in order to receive treatment for epilepsy, a condition he learned he suffers from after a series of seizures last year.
As he packed his bags, he told his girlfriend that he had to be away for a few weeks, though he said he was vague about the reason. "That is not an uncommon occurrence for someone who has spent the last decade working in the intelligence world."
On May 20, he boarded a flight to Hong Kong, where he has remained ever since. He chose Hong Kong, China because "they have a spirited commitment to free speech and the right of political dissent", and because he believed that it was one of the few places in the world that both could and would resist the dictates of the US government.
Since the disclosures began to emerge, he has watched television and monitored the internet, hearing all the threats and vows of prosecution emanating from Washington.
He knows only too well the sophisticated technology available to them and how easy it will be for the NSA to find him. The NSA police and other law enforcement officers have twice visited his home in Hawaii and already contacted his girlfriend, though he believes that may have been prompted by his absence from work, and not because of suspicions of any connection to the leaks.
"All my options are bad," he said. The US could begin extradition proceedings against him, a potentially problematic, lengthy and unpredictable course for Washington. Or the Chinese government might whisk him away for questioning, viewing him as a useful source of information. Or he might end up being grabbed and bundled into a plane bound for US territory.
"Yes, I could be rendered by the CIA. I could have people come after me. Or any of the third-party partners. They work closely with a number of other nations. Or they could pay-off the Triads. Any of their agents or assets," he said.
"We have got a CIA station just up the road, the consulate here in Hong Kong, and I am sure they are going to be busy for the next week. And that is a concern I will live with for the rest of my life, however long that happens to be."
Having watched the Obama administration prosecute whistle-blowers at a historically unprecedented rate, he fully expects the US government to attempt to use all its weight to punish him. "I am not afraid," he said calmly, "because this is the choice I’ve made."
He predicts the government will launch an investigation and "say I have broken the Espionage Act and helped our enemies, but that can be used against anyone who points out how massive and invasive the system has become".
The only time he became emotional during the many hours of interviews was when he pondered the impact his choices would have on his family, many of whom work for the US government. "The only thing I fear is the harmful effects on my family, who I won’t be able to help any more. That’s what keeps me up at night," he said, his eyes welling up with tears.
🔢 Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. These topics are all very scary at the least. However, exactly how can Americans be Sure the possibility of illegal Personal intrusion is Impossible. We thought the IRS an Agency of the US Government’s using discriminatory practices were not possible; however, the IRS Congressional Hearings disclosed that the IRS and 88 presently known agents broke US Laws:
1⃣ Defacto declining, with over 400-Day delays only to Conservative and Religious groups from forming legal Tax Exempt status (bundled into the media-term: Targeting) and
2⃣ IRS passed confidential information from Conservative Tax Payers IRS files to Liberal Groups, the Political enemies of those violated Tax Payers.
3⃣ With more Congressional Hearings with sworn-testimony, subponas, immunity deals, we may find out how high up the Ladder these actions were authorized; therefore, our present kowledge may be only the Tip of the proverbial Iceberg.
Consider the video capability build into hundreds of millions of USA personal Computers, Tablets, iPads, iPhones… can a secret group of US Surveillance Officers turn-on our digital video cameras without our knowledge, much less your permission. Do you think this is impossible?
Lord Acton said in 1887 "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" arose as part of a quotation by the expansively named and impressively hirsute John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902). The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Great men are almost always bad men." Do not shoot the messanger, these remarks are designed to stimulate thought.
Eric Holder. How about the US Government’s recent admission by Attorney General Holder that it falsified a Filing with a Federal Judge calling a FOX new Reporter a Conspirator and a Flight Risk as he represents a "National Security Risk." the US Government violated Law in making false statements so that a Federal Court would permit US Government access to JAMES ROSEN’s Phones, his parent’s phones, emails, everything, and the Attorney General falsified sworn testimony before a Congressional Hearing regarding the same matter.
During the Attorney General’s May 15, 2013 testimony, Holder said under oath that he knew nothing of the "potential prosecution" of the press which the FOX reporter. Days later, it emerged that Holder signed the Order issued to a Federal Court in his department’s success in obtaining Fox News reporter James Rosen’s personal emails, the DOJ sought access to the documents by arguing Rosen was a likely criminal "co-conspirator" in a "leak" case. The Justice Department also got a subpoena for the phone records of 20 AP reporters and editors. The government claimed it was trying to hunt down a leak relating to a foiled terror attack in Yemen. So much for the US Constitution, and its Bill of Rights.
Before May, 2013 when the US government’s Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, the IRS Commissioner, admitted publicly that the IRS had unlawfully discriminated against Conservative Tax Payers, Religious Taxpayers, a serious violation of the US Constitution.
US Government’s failure to obey its own laws, it being admitted to by highest level US officials, now the American People are to expected to "trust" that the NSA will not violate US Law, is troubling at the least. If you are not troubled by these revelations, "I have a Bridge for Sale" so say New Yorkers sarcastically referring to the Brooklyn Bridge.
Ever since the creation of the Internet, more specifically the World Wide Web, the government has utilized Orwellian tactics of surveillance. “Many parts of the Internet are still kind of like the raw frontier and the Government wants to stake its claim” (TechnoCulture).
For instance, in December of 1995, news was released concerning the Government’s intention to fund another ten thousand closed circuit surveillance systems. Even though civil libertarians were assured this action had no sinister motive, responses from most were leery to say the least (“Big Brother…”).
Privacy is a right that many Americans take for granted. Americans for the most part, feel that they have privacy. But do they really have Privacy? In order for one to achieve individuality and autonomy one must have privacy in a free society, which is the key factor. For the rapid advances in technology, you may, or should you exchange privacy, liberty, and freedom for connectivity. Should you happen to use a computer to enter the Internet, for example, your level of privacy may be decreased substantially, as you open the door to social control. As Orwell says in 1984, “Big Brother is watching you.”
Enemy of the State. This brings a whole new meaning to the Movie Enemy of the State, a 1998 American action-thriller about a group of rogue NSA agents who kill a US Congressman and try to cover up the murder. It was written by David Marconi, directed by Tony Scott, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. It stars Will Smith and Gene Hackman, with Jon Voight, Lisa Bonet, and Regina King in supporting roles.
Enemy of the State. As the U.S. Congress moves to pass new legislation that dramatically expands the surveillance powers of intelligence agencies, (recall, this movie was aired 15 years ago) Congressman Phil Hammersley (Robards) remains firmly opposed to its passage.
To ensure the bill’s passage, National Security Agency official Thomas Reynolds (Voight) kills Hammersley, but he is unaware of a video camera set up by wildlife researcher Daniel Zavitz (Lee) that has captured the entire incident. Zavitz discovers the murder, and alerts an underground journalist, at the same time transferring the video to an innocuous computer disc.
Reynolds learns of Zavitz’s footage, and sends a team to recover the video. While fleeing, Zavitz runs into an old college friend, labor lawyer Robert Clayton Dean (Smith). Zavitz secretly passes the computer disc into Dean’s shopping bag without his knowledge. Zavitz flees and is killed when hit by a fire truck. Reynolds soon has the underground journalist killed.
Enemy of the State. When the NSA discovers that Dean may have the video, a team raids his house and plants surveillance devices. Unable to find the video, the NSA proceeds to falsely incriminate Dean of passing classified information to Rachel Banks (Bonet), a former girlfriend. The subterfuge destroys Dean’s life: he is fired from his job, his bank accounts are frozen, and his wife (King) throws him out of the house. Dean, trailed by the NSA, meets with Banks, who sets up a meeting with "Brill", one of her secret contacts.
After meeting an NSA agent posing as Brill (Byrne), Dean realizes his error, only to have the real Brill, retired NSA agent Edward Lyle (Hackman), ferry him to temporary safety and help rid Dean of most of the tracking devices he is unwittingly carrying. Dean ultimately rids himself of the final device and, fleeing his pursuers, escapes. With Dean and Lyle in hiding, the NSA agents kill Banks and frame Dean for the murder. Lyle is able to find evidence that the NSA executed Hammersley’s murder, but it is destroyed during an escape from an NSA raid.
Enemy of the State is a 1998 movie, however, in light of 2013 revelations, viewing this Movie in 2013, may redefine this Thriller as a "Horror Show."
How do you really know Government is not utilizing enhanced Data Mining Surveillance techniques to oversee You? Is Big Brother watching You?
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