Civil Rights Icon John Lewis: Snowden’s Actions In Line With Gandhi, Thoreau

[MADem]

159. I am not "reading into" anything. I'm going by what Congressman Lewis actually said in his press

release.

All of that stuff you are quoting about Ghandi and civil disobedience is about the March anniversary. LEWIS SAID THIS in his press release--geez, look at it again. Read the sentence that says

I never praised Mr. Snowden or said his actions rise to those of Mohandas Gandhi or other civil rights leaders.


That seems ENTIRELY straightforward to me.

The damn reporter got in the door by lying about the focus of the interview. He wasn't there to interview Lewis about Snowden, so he said--he was there to talk about the March. You'd never know it from the way he wrote that piece of shit article. He sandbagged Lewis, and I'll bet Lewis won't forget it, either.

He asked about Snowden at the END of the "March Anniversary" interview.

At the end of an interview about the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, I was asked what I thought about Mr. Snowden’s actions.

Look, all I can suggest to you is that you read what Lewis said one more doggone time. Note where I have bolded, again.

Aug 8, 2013
“News reports about my interview with The Guardian are misleading, and they do not reflect my complete opinion. Let me be clear. I do not agree with what Mr. Snowden did. He has damaged American international relations and compromised our national security. He leaked classified information and may have jeopardized human lives. That must be condemned.

“ I never praised Mr. Snowden or said his actions rise to those of Mohandas Gandhi or other civil rights leaders. In fact, The Guardian itself agreed to retract the word “praise” from its headline.

“At the end of an interview about the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, I was asked what I thought about Mr. Snowden’s actions. I said he has a right as an individual to act according to the dictates of his conscience, but he must be prepared to pay the price for taking that action. In the movement, we were arrested, we went to jail, we were prepared to pay the price, even lose our lives if necessary. I cannot say and I did not say that what Mr. Snowden did is right. Others will be the judge of that.”

LEWIS is entirely clear--he can't help it if people refuse to listen to the words exiting his mouth, or mix them up and pretend that a comment about the movement and Ghandi applies to Snowden--when--as he clearly said--it does not apply to him at all.