No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State
by Glenn Greenwald. One the best books of the year; it was like watching Jason Bourne movie marathon (only this one is real). A must read!!
The Obama administration, which has brought more prosecutions against leakers than all prior presidencies combined, has sought to create a climate of fear that would stifle any attempts at whistle-blowing. But Snowden has destroyed that template. He has managed to remain free, outside the grasp of the United States; what’s more, he has refused to remain in hiding but proudly came forward and identified himself. As a result, the public image of him is not a convict in orange jumpsuit and shackles but an independent, articulate figure who can speak for himself, explaining what he did and why. It is no longer possible for the US government to distract from the message simply by demonizing the messenger. There is a powerful lesson here for future whistle-blowers: speaking the truth does not have to destroy your life.
And for the rest of us, Snowden’s inspirational effect is no less profound. Quite simply, he has reminded everyone about the extraordinary ability of any human being to change the world. An ordinary person in all outward respects— raised by parents without particular wealth or power, lacking even a high school diploma, working as an obscure employee of a giant corporation— he has, through a single act of conscience, literally altered the course of history.
by Glenn Greenwald. One the best books of the year; it was like watching Jason Bourne movie marathon (only this one is real). A must read!!The Obama administration, which has brought more prosecutions against leakers than all prior presidencies combined, has sought to create a climate of fear that would stifle any attempts at whistle-blowing. But Snowden has destroyed that template. He has managed to remain free, outside the grasp of the United States; what’s more, he has refused to remain in hiding but proudly came forward and identified himself. As a result, the public image of him is not a convict in orange jumpsuit and shackles but an independent, articulate figure who can speak for himself, explaining what he did and why. It is no longer possible for the US government to distract from the message simply by demonizing the messenger. There is a powerful lesson here for future whistle-blowers: speaking the truth does not have to destroy your life.
And for the rest of us, Snowden’s inspirational effect is no less profound. Quite simply, he has reminded everyone about the extraordinary ability of any human being to change the world. An ordinary person in all outward respects— raised by parents without particular wealth or power, lacking even a high school diploma, working as an obscure employee of a giant corporation— he has, through a single act of conscience, literally altered the course of history.
No comments:
Post a Comment