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 did not seek to sell U.S. secrets. I did not partner with any foreign government to guarantee my safety. Instead, I took what I knew to the public so what affects all of us can be discussed by all of us in the light of day, and I asked the world for justice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of transparency and justice in society.
Edward Snowden's quote reflects his conviction that public knowledge and dialogue about government actions are essential for justice and accountability. He asserts that he did not betray his country for personal gain, but instead chose to expose truths that he believed should be accessible to everyone, championing the idea that collective awareness can lead to greater justice.
Themes
TransparencyJusticeAccountabilityPublicTruth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about whistleblowers and their role in society.
More from Edward Snowden
All quotes →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.
Edward SnowdenRead
Congress 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
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