Wishing all my blogpals an unconscionably spiffy Saturnalia / Winter Solstice boozefest / Hannukkah / Christmas / whatever (delete where applicable), but this year with extra special greetings to two true heroes of freedom and democracy, Eddie Snowden and Chelsea Manning.
Not that any of this NSA business should have surprised anybody; we've known for decades …
After all, Messr.s Martin and Mitchell defected from the NSA to Moscow in 1960 and blew the whistle on the NSA spying on its friends and its own citizens.
And here's one of my own posts, from way back in 2007, entitled 'Fuck the NSA":
"Here's a bit of fun:
Some dumb fuck with a crew cut will be reading this up in Yorkshire today, thanks to the title of the post.
I just want to say "Fuck off. You are not welcome here."
Today's subject is the delightful Menwith Hill NSA listening station just outside Harrogate in Yorkshire.
This is the world's largest electronic monitoring station, run by the NSA and responsible for "the signals intelligence and communications security activities of the US government".
Ever wonder where your emails go?
Ever wonder what that faint click was on your phone?
In total violation of EU civil liberties legislation and basic common decency, the NSA use Menwith Hill to monitor private (yes, private) telephone conversations, mobile conversations, emails and faxes plus a whole lot more, listening out for key words such as "bomb" or "bush"
(in my more radical days I would often include the word "bomb" in email titles to make sure they read it, on the assumption that if enough people did that, the twats would eventually get bored and fuck off home to America).
We have demonstrated and lobbied against this outrageous violation of civil liberties (and EU law), but to no avail. Menwith Hill is unaccountable, unlawful and undemocratic and amazingly, very few people seem to be aware of its existence.
I can understand why they needed the nearby Fylingdales early warning radar station during the cold war (though that is now being upgraded to become part of the farcical Star Wars defence shield), but Menwith Hill is illegal and immoral.
In case you think they're not listening to you, they constantly monitor all European post, telephone and telegraph signals, together with mobile communications and such corporations as ITT and RCA in the US.
Say "Hi" to them next time you call anyone.
Then tell them to fuck off.
Now you know."
So Merry Christmas Blogville, Eddie and Chelsea and - as Tiny Tim said, "Gawd bless us, every one."•
•except the NSA.
10 comments:
I love it, Dive. And I love you! You are the BOMB. Hope your dark night is lit up by some twinkly lights, regardless of what you call it.
Hee hee. Thank you, Kate, and Merry Christmas.
Kate stole my line! Honestly, I think all countries do it. But that only makes it more wrong. We should be better than that.
Yep, you are the BOMB! And I used to work with a woman woh, along with her husband, had been a listener for the NSA. They listened to conversations/messages in Arabic. They're last posting was to be in Riyadh. They resigned when they learned that it wouldn't be the ideal place for their young boys, then ages about 5 and 8. (Let the Arab listeners make what they will of that!)
A very merry Christmas to a couple of my very favourite bombshells, Petrea and Speedway. xx
Yes, we all do the spying on our friends thing (I like spying on you two on FB) which is why I am so surprised (it having been public knowledge for decades) at the monstrous hoo-hah overreaction of the US when Eddie reminded us of what we already knew.
The most shameful thing is the usual reaction of a government discovered with its fingers in the till; not of contrition but of "smear and discredit the person who found us out and then keep on stealing as if we are the ones being wronged."
Tis the modern Christmas message it would seem.
Hey ho ho ho.
I agree. Mr. Snowden is a hero. I like to think I would have done the same thing, that we all would. Maybe not, though, if we knew the consequences.
Well said, Mr.Dive -- yes, you are "da bomb"!
And a merry, happy, "Whatever Day" to you, too!
Word verification: circumciso eepubde!!
Petrea, Eddie Snowden gave the "alternative Queen's Speech" yesterday on TV and was great.
Every Christmas the nation is supposed to sit down in front of the TV at three in the afternoon and listen to the Queen drone on about her year, but for a decade or so Channel 4 has been airing an alternative which has proved so much more popular that it is an eagerly awaited event. This year was Eddie's turn to give us his take on privacy and freedom. Great stuff.
Thank you, Ms.M and a very merry seasonal happyfest to you and N.
Love the word verification. Hee hee.
I've tried to find it on youtube, but found mostly commentary.
It's not up yet but keep an eye on the Channel 4 news website and they'll probably post it before long.
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