Hedges: What Obama Really Meant on NSA Surveillance

Posted by Bob Lord

I received a little pushback on Debate on Snowden Over, So Why No Pardon? My only suggestion to those who don't see it my way is to check out Chris Hedges post today, What Obama Really Meant Was…

The post, written as if Obama is the writer, is long, but awesome. It's too long to summarize, so you'll need to read it for yourself. Here's a sample:

The bottom line is that people around the world, regardless of their nationality, can be assured that the United States follows everything they do or say. It does not matter if they are ordinary people or foreign leaders. I am not going to apologize for monitoring the communications of friends and allies. We know what we are doing. We know why this is important. The effects of declining incomes for working men and women, the massive debt peonage that keeps people trapped, the slashing of government assistance programs, the chronic, long-term unemployment, and the effects of climate change will eventually trigger volatile unrest. We are ready. The likelihood of totalitarianism no longer comes from fascism or communism. It comes from corporations. Corporations, for which I work, fear those who think and write and speak out and form relationships freely. Individual freedom impedes their profits. And the surveillance system I am protecting today is designed to keep these corporations in power. [emphasis mine]

You can find the entire post here. Enjoy.