It's important that we elevate and primarily focus on the rights of American citizens, but it's also important that we don't forget, 95 percent of the world's population lives beyond our own borders.
Edward SnowdenRead
I think the most important idea is to remember that there have been times throughout American history where what is right is not the same as what is legal.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the distinction between legality and morality, emphasizing that laws do not always align with what is ethically right.
Edward Snowden's quote reflects on the complex relationship between law and ethics, particularly in the context of American history. It suggests that there have been pivotal moments when actions deemed illegal were, in fact, morally justified, urging individuals to consider the moral implications of legal frameworks. This idea invites a deeper examination of the values that underpin laws and the responsibility of individuals to uphold justice beyond just obeying the law.
Themes
EthicsMoralityLawJusticeHistory
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on civil rights, one might use this quote to argue for the importance of moral action.
More from Edward Snowden
All quotes βCongress hasn't declared war on the countries - the majority of them are our allies - but without asking for public permission, NSA is running network operations against them that affect millions of innocent people. And for what? So we can have secret access to a computer in a country we're not even fighting?
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A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all.
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Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give an American, and the more panicked talk we hear from people like him... the better off we all are.
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I don't see myself as a hero because what I'm doing is self-interested: I don't want to live in a world where there's no privacy and therefore no room for intellectual exploration and creativity.
Edward SnowdenRead
I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree to scare people away from standing up for their rights, no matter how good the deal. I'm not going to be part of that.
Edward SnowdenRead
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