An opportunity missed!

It's great that Edward Snowden managed to expose a global dystopian surveillance program and light it up like a christmas tree to the entire planet.

What is not so great is that the only lasting impact of his whistle blowing was the U.S. government pointing its finger and shouting, "Get him, for the sake of national security get him!!!!" while the rest of us let this whole thing slip by seemingly unnoticed. Giving it just enough attention to muster a few comments on message boards or discussing with our friends over a few beers about how terrible it is and how it should never be allowed to happen.

I actually thought Snowden would be a little more influential than he was. Disney's Frozen had more of an impact on the population than Snowden did. Isn't that backwards? I wanted his revelations to generate a positive change for civil liberties! Rile up enough people to say enough! Our privacy is not yours to own and we want it back!! I wanted, no, I expected outrage!!! Because I was outraged!! I wanted to force the change we wanted down the throats of the politicians until they have no choice but to oblige.

Instead, all he did was trigger a Carmen Sandiego style manhunt so that dumb sh!t news anchors would have something to breathlessly follow while completely ignoring his core motivations.

This was a raging bull of an opportunity. One that we should have grabbed by the horns. But nobody seemed interested

And so the opportunity passes us by. Life continues as it did before. The lying, murdering, war waging, privacy stealing, money grabbing, freedom snatching governments carry on as normal and we continue to look the other way.

And Snowden risked his life for what appears to be the least influential information we have received in years

I am disappointed

a reply to: Silicis n Volvo

And in your opinion, the People should have destroyed US's national security in the name of freedom and stuff like that.

I wonder how would Russia like an USA with no more national security and intelligence services.

Wait. Russia was best pals with Snowden. Hm, I wonder if there's a link...

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: Silicis n Volvo

And in your opinion, the People should have destroyed US's national security in the name of freedom and stuff like that.

I wonder how would Russia like an USA with no more national security and intelligence services.

Wait. Russia was best pals with Snowden. Hm, I wonder if there's a link...

In your opinion, are morally flawed legalities an excuse for indecent and immoral behavior?

Does doing the right thing now come second to the rules created by tyrants?

a reply to: Silicis n Volvo

Tyrants? You claim to live in a "tyranny". You don't even know what a TRUE tyranny is. In a true tyranny, you wouldn't even have the chance to insult the government as you freely do here on ATS. In a real tyranny, you'd be imprisoned for life right now.

Face it: no government is perfect. Everyone has dirty closets. If you don't like the US, then get out of it. See if Russia or China is better for you.

That is one take on what happened... Another few things to consider IMO. Remember all the talk about 2012 and some kind of global awakening ? Snowden peeled back one more layer of the rotten onion we call this world. Was his circumstance and disclosure in vain ? The pillars of power and their grand designs have been just a little more exposed; to what end, who knows ? However society is like a huge bolder which is hard to move .... Many must push and strain until it finally breaks loose then those in the way had better move or get crushed ... . So were his revelations bolder moving; no they were not....... however, they certainly shut up the idiots who believed " they would never do that" crowd.

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: Silicis n Volvo

Tyrants? You claim to live in a "tyranny". You don't even know what a TRUE tyranny is. In a true tyranny, you wouldn't even have the chance to insult the government as you freely do here on ATS. In a real tyranny, you'd be imprisoned for life right now.

Face it: no government is perfect. Everyone has dirty closets. If you don't like the US, then get out of it. See if Russia or China is better for you.

I dont live in the US. The US was not the only country involved, or affected.

So, if i was to ask you if you thought our 1st world country governments are honest, decent people with our best interests at heart, you would say yes?

And would you say the government is not slowly and very covertly removing power and freedom from the people, concealing wealth and empowering themselves all the more?

I feel both sorry and angry towards you. Sorry because you are oblivious and angry because that is part of the problem.

Tyranny takes many forms. Dictatorship is just one. The fake democracy you think you're a part of is another

a reply to: swanne

Oh look, another. Russophobic half wit, surprise surprise. You can take your national security and keep it because Ill take freedom over it any day of the week.

I think there is a lot more going on behind the scenes in regards to the information Snowden has and has made privy to certain parties. I would not doubt for a minute that what Russia is doing right now directly relates to some of this information, as well as why the US has continued to take a back seat with wrist slaps and whatnot.

a reply to: swanne

That argument is a fallacy mate.

1. The United States Government's actions have affected people all over the world in various countries - some positively most negatively.

2. One cannot just 'get out' of the United States. It is actuay quite a lengthy process and many people will be denied leaving the country or denied entering another country to live. Not to mention the money aspect.

3. I would argue the United States is the MOST TYRANNICAL because the people have absolutely no idea still. The sheep cannot see. At least in other countries - the people know they are up against a dictatorship and the gov will admit it not lie about it to their faces.

4. If an American taxpaying citizen is not satisfied with their own government they should not be told to get out they should be appeased with solutions offered by the government but thatll never happen. I love America - hate the gov. I'll never leave and should not have to. The gov should have to clean up its' act.

a reply to: swanne

No, I think many of us are willing to remain in our home, the US, and fix the little problem that we have here.

Snowden was right for what he did. A lot of people already suspected it but he gave the proof. I wish he'd just release it all now. I love watching the rats scatter.

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: Silicis n Volvo

Tyrants? You claim to live in a "tyranny". You don't even know what a TRUE tyranny is. In a true tyranny, you wouldn't even have the chance to insult the government as you freely do here on ATS. In a real tyranny, you'd be imprisoned for life right now.

Face it: no government is perfect. Everyone has dirty closets. If you don't like the US, then get out of it. See if Russia or China is better for you.

Given the status of our prisons as forced labor camps under threat of torture, and a public that gets giddy at the thought of them including rape rooms to really teach those prisoners a lesson, plus the number of people we have imprisoned as a percent of population I would say we're well within tyranny.

Snowden will free us all, sure, sure...
And the US of A is just one huge prison, also, sure...
He is just a self-glorifying piece of #. He didn't think it true and wanted to be cool and recognized and f*ed himself pretty hard with that.
So as far as I am concerned he can rot in Russia, in Siberia preferably. Freedom doesn't need people who want to be "The Savior".

So as far as I am concerned he can rot in Russia, in Siberia preferably. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

There is a place waiting for him at the Colorado Super Max with Ramzi and crazy Ted. Rotting in Russia is just not enough for me.

originally posted by: Silicis n Volvo
I feel both sorry and angry towards you. Sorry because you are oblivious and angry because that is part of the problem.

I feel sorry for you too, so the feeling is mutual. For unlike you I never give my full trust to any political moves. I prefer to investigate before blindly following a messiah figure. I prefer to try and see the bigger picture instead of focusing on the actors on the stage.

Of course the US has dirty closets. But why not also expose Russia's dirty closets too? Or the World's, for that matters? And no, I'm not Russophobe - I think there is alot of Russian people out there who would hope that corruption in Russia would be exposed too. But no, let's focus on the USA alone so that our attentions is always distracted away from the TRUE, globalist players.

People like you are always angry. This ends not by insulting other people, but by making changes in your lifestyle. The World is only a reflection of its inhabitants. Violence does not solve violence, it only extends it. But working together in peace makes a society fool-proof.

Tyranny takes many forms. Dictatorship is just one. The fake democracy you think you're a part of is another

Everything, these days, are called "tyranny" by people like you. It seems to me that you hawks won't be happy as long as you are not the King of all.

originally posted by: lightedhype
I would argue the United States is the MOST TYRANNICAL because the people have absolutely no idea still.

Are you kidding?

The US and how "bad it is" is EVERYWHERE in the news. It is so much publicized everywhere on Big Media and on TV (and why doesn't the gov ban these, if he's so, as you say, "tyrannical"?) and on radio shows, that NO ONE is spared from this propaganda.

www.sobran.com...

www.forbes.com...

thecommonsenseshow.com...

www.wnd.com...

rt.com...

And then comes messiah figures (Snowden and friends) to "save us" from this "damnation" which they call the US. Smells like just another political move to me. Even if there are evidences for the presence of a major political propaganda in all this, as long as it is sandwished between two slices of "truth", and it is spiced with the right keywords such as "orwell" and "freedom", it seems everyone will gobble the whole thing up, no matter what's hiding inside the two slices.

But hey, don't mind me, right.