April 17, 2014

ACLU (4/17/2014): "the surveillance programs exposed by Edward Snowden violate the Constitution"

Excerpt: "NSA surveillance undercuts international human rights law that protects Americans, too. U.S. disregard for noncitizens' right to privacy gives the green light to other governments to indiscriminately collect and surveil Americans' most personal data. For the protection of its own citizens' privacy, the U.S. must respect the rights of noncitizens.

Americans understand that the surveillance programs exposed by Edward Snowden violate the Constitution, and it has been heartening to witness the protest movement growing in response. But it's important to consider international implications as well. The United States should be setting global standards – not breaking them."

https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security-human-rights/nsa-surveillance-unravels-international-law

April 17, 2014

I am disappointed in the ACLU

They have not yet condemned the fact that Snowden asked Putin whether Russia spies on its citizens.

April 17, 2014

Greenwald demands that Snowden leak Russia's domestic spying evidence to the public

http://www.businessinsider.com/glenn-greenwald-defends-snowden-putin-pr-stunt-2014-4

"Snowden should storm the Kremlin, take their surveillance docs & demand to be sent to the US: just like his brave patriotic critics would do," Greenwald wrote. 

I think NSA apologists were just made fun of.

April 17, 2014

News coverage of Ukraine deaths vs. Central African Republic deaths

When people in caucasian countries die, it's big news in the MSM, often front-page in online news websites.

But how many of you know that 22 people were just killed in Central Africa, and the country is now in the verge of "genocide" according to Reuters?

People in political forums don't seem to care much about Africa, either.

Several possibilities IMO. Tell me which of these possibilities you consider most plausible or cite a reason of your own.

-News media probably believes their (probably mostly white) readers will click more on white-people-dying articles.

-As American outlets, we have to "sock it to Putin", who is unpopular in America, so highlighting that Russia killed 6 Ukranians allows us to sock it to Putin. There is no deeply hated Central African leader to sock it to.

- News media owners care about what happens powerful, big, famous countries, not about poor countries.

Anyways, here's a rare article from yesterday on deaths in Central Africa which was obscured by news from Ukraine.


22 reported killed in clashes over Central African Republic town.
"ANGUI (Reuters) - At least 22 people, mainly civilians, were killed in clashes between mainly Muslim rebels and Christian militia in the Central African Republic earlier this week, the local Red Cross said on Wednesday.

The clashes took place on Monday in Grimari, about 300 km (190 miles) northeast of Bangui, and coincide with a push into the interior by French and African forces struggling to contain violence that experts warn has pushed the country to the verge of genocide."