Let Snowden Come Home • Hacker News Board

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#91

Post by eli » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:09 PM UTC

themeek wrote: post #70

eli wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the least, I think Clapper should be investigated for perjury over lying to Congress. But the fact that other criminal acts are going unpunished doesn't really have any bearing on Snowden's case. The crime Snowden is charged with is the same regardless of who else is charged.

The state doesn't think it did anything wrong. All the way up to the president - and don't think the president wasn't aware of these operations - our representatives believe that these capabilities are necessary for the current and future security of the United States (which is, in fact, facing gigantic national security challenges). The state does not want to give up these programs and it does not think that they ar…

What about the trial do you think would be unfair? You can read the indictment here http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/documents/world/us-vs-edwar...

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#92

Post by dmfdmf » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:10 PM UTC

serve_yay wrote: post #12

If I were him I wouldn't do it, even if some people said it would be OK. I mean he can't seriously trust the US government ever again, it would just be ridiculous.

I agree. They would lie to get him home and if the government reneged on an agreement most Americans wouldn't really care so he would be doomed. I think political asylum in a Western European country would be his best option now. Hopefully Germany steps up and does this as I thought they were seriously considering doing so when his Russian visa was expiring but were pressure by the US not to help him.

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#93

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:10 PM UTC

derefr wrote: post #80

themeek wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I keep getting surprised that people I meet have no idea who Snowden is, haven't heard of mass surveillance or propaganda operations, aren't aware of the huge national security push being made by the United States across essentially every region of the globe, and aren't following national security legislation including the recent Freedom Act and 215 sunset.

There's a similar bubble in the PRC: if you talk to someone inside it, they know all about Tiananmen Square, Tibet, the recent Hong Kong protests, etc. Whereas if you talk to someone outside of it, they'll tell you the Chinese government is a beloved-to-neutral entity (like the Queen of England, a bit) in the eyes of the populace, and that American terrorism is responsible for most-any Chinese civil unrest. It isn't…

[deleted]

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#94

Post by guard-of-terra » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:12 PM UTC

Верни им небо, тоску по дому утоли, Посеребри путь звездной пылью Верни им небо, хозяин света и любви И в знак прощения дай вновь крылья им...

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#95

Post by lectrick » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:14 PM UTC

hueving wrote: post #24

austinhutch wrote: post #6

If he were to come back to the USA and then subsequently be detained, I would join the hopefully overwhelming protests in favor of his release. I am hoping if such a time comes, that there will be a historic level of demonstration advocating for his freedom.

>I would join the hopefully overwhelming protests in favor of his release. All 12 of us would be fired up! More seriously, did you see the bit on John Oliver about Snowden? The majority of the US population have no idea who Snowden is. Be careful not to get caught up in our tech news bubble.

That episode was pretty amazing.

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#96

Post by alfiedotwtf » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:14 PM UTC

mortehu wrote: post #89

hueving wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I would join the hopefully overwhelming protests in favor of his release. All 12 of us would be fired up! More seriously, did you see the bit on John Oliver about Snowden? The majority of the US population have no idea who Snowden is. Be careful not to get caught up in our tech news bubble.

I think the being known to a majority of the US population is a way too high bar. In a 2010 poll[1], only 59% knew the name of the vice president, as mentioned in a Greenwald article[2] about this issue. 1. http://www.pewforum.org/2010/09/28/u-s-religious-knowledge-s... 2. https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/04/06/john-oliver-in...

I've always hated how celebrities join up causes, but I'm now beginning to understand why - exposure to the masses. Maybe the biggest way to get Snowden's name out there and make eveyone listen is to get the Kardashians on board.

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#97

Post by dmfdmf » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:14 PM UTC

guard-of-terra wrote: post #94

Верни им небо, тоску по дому утоли, Посеребри путь звездной пылью Верни им небо, хозяин света и любви И в знак прощения дай вновь крылья им...

Give them the sky, homesick quench, silver path of stardust Give them the sky, the master of light and love and as a sign of forgiveness give them wings again

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#98

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:18 PM UTC

geophile wrote: post #81

As a practical matter, he can't come home. Not even the president can promise his immunity from prosecution -- one day there will be another president. The DOJ could drop all charges. And then impose new ones once he returns. And that is to say nothing of the possibility of his being killed, with blame cast on some nut job, and with all sorts of manufactured dirt on him released afterward. Put yourself in Snowden's s…

[deleted]

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#99

Post by dragonwriter » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:19 PM UTC

geophile wrote: post #81

As a practical matter, he can't come home. Not even the president can promise his immunity from prosecution -- one day there will be another president. The DOJ could drop all charges. And then impose new ones once he returns. And that is to say nothing of the possibility of his being killed, with blame cast on some nut job, and with all sorts of manufactured dirt on him released afterward. Put yourself in Snowden's s…

> Not even the president can promise his immunity from prosecution -- one day there will be another president.

The President has the Constitutional power to issue pardons, it does not grant the President (whether the same President or any subsequent one, or anyone else for that matter) power to retract them.

> The DOJ could drop all charges. And then impose new ones once he returns.

Not to the extent that the new ones are covered within the scope of a Presidential pardon.

> And that is to say nothing of the possibility of his being killed, with blame cast on some nut job, and with all sorts of manufactured dirt on him released afterward.

To the extent that could happen (at the hands of the government or otherwise) if he returned, it could happen if he didn't. Its not exactly like no one is ever killed -- including by the US Government -- outside of the United States.

Re: Let Snowden Come Home

#100

Post by foobarqux » Wed, Jun 03, 2015, 10:20 PM UTC

If Snowden isn't punished then it will effectively encourage others to harm powerful interests. So there is incentive to punish Snowden from those who decide whether he will be.