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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGreenwald's Appropriate Compound Adjective:"...hostage-message-sounding missives...."
Last edited Fri Aug 9, 2013, 06:46 PM - Edit history (1)
Edward Snowden: 'Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Yahoo, Apple, and the rest of our internet titans must ask themselves why they aren't fighting for our interests the same way'
Glenn Greenwald
theguardian.com, Friday 9 August 2013 08.19 EDT
A Texas-based encrypted email service recently revealed to be used by Edward Snowden - Lavabit - announced yesterday it was shutting itself down in order to avoid complying with what it perceives as unjust secret US court orders to provide government access to its users' content. "After significant soul searching, I have decided to suspend operations," the company's founder, Ladar Levinson, wrote in a statement to users posted on the front page of its website. He said the US directive forced on his company "a difficult decision: to become complicit in crimes against the American people or walk away from nearly ten years of hard work by shutting down Lavabit." He chose the latter.
...
What is particularly creepy about the Lavabit self-shutdown is that the company is gagged by law even from discussing the legal challenges it has mounted and the court proceeding it has engaged. In other words, the American owner of the company believes his Constitutional rights and those of his customers are being violated by the US Government, but he is not allowed to talk about it. Just as is true for people who receive National Security Letters under the Patriot Act, Lavabit has been told that they would face serious criminal sanctions if they publicly discuss what is being done to their company. Thus we get hostage-message-sounding missives like this:
"I wish that I could legally share with you the events that led to my decision. I cannot. I feel you deserve to know what's going on - the first amendment is supposed to guarantee me the freedom to speak out in situations like this. Unfortunately, Congress has passed laws that say otherwise. As things currently stand, I cannot share my experiences over the last six weeks, even though I have twice made the appropriate requests."
Does that sound like a message coming from a citizen of a healthy and free country? Secret courts issuing secret rulings invariably in favor of the US government that those most affected are barred by law from discussing? Is there anyone incapable at this point of seeing what the United States has become? Here's the very sound advice issued by Lavabit's founder:
...
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/09/lavabit-shutdown-snowden-silicon-valley
Here is the message from Lavabit's owner:
I have been forced to make a difficult decision: to become complicit in crimes against the American people or walk away from nearly ten years of hard work by shutting down Lavabit. After significant soul searching, I have decided to suspend operations. I wish that I could legally share with you the events that led to my decision. I cannot. I feel you deserve to know whats going on--the first amendment is supposed to guarantee me the freedom to speak out in situations like this. Unfortunately, Congress has passed laws that say otherwise. As things currently stand, I cannot share my experiences over the last six weeks, even though I have twice made the appropriate requests.
Whats going to happen now? Weve already started preparing the paperwork needed to continue to fight for the Constitution in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. A favorable decision would allow me resurrect Lavabit as an American company.
This experience has taught me one very important lesson: without congressional action or a strong judicial precedent, I would _strongly_ recommend against anyone trusting their private data to a company with physical ties to the United States.
Sincerely,
Ladar Levison
Owner and Operator, Lavabit LLC
http://lavabit.com/
The United States should be better than this.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)This nation has been perverted into something unrecognizable.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)With Secret Police outside and their dogs at my door, I don't think I'd be surprised at this point.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Hydra
(14,459 posts)How does all this secrecy find you today? Still fighting the war on the Red Menace(TM)?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)I am also aware that Erich Honecker is not in the White House.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)I haven't had one in years. BTW, while Honecker is not in the WH, Reinhard Gehlen was in the CIA, which arguably is the true seat of power.
Just something to think about.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)Hydra
(14,459 posts)And got back just in time for the Spying pushback. It's a great time to be on DU! I would have missed this little gem if I hadn't been here:
This totally explained everything!!
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)I'd even post a map just for you but it'd get alerted
so many delicate flowers on DU these days.
BTW, I DO NOT SUPPORT THE NSA OVERREACH.
So your inability to discern that says volumes.
Maybe you would do well to take another DU vacation.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)It was hillarious!
I'm not sure what side of the issue you're on currently, but if you're not trying to cover for the Obama Admin's grounding of another country's Air Force 1 to search for Snowden, I'll be happy not to make fun of it anymore.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Hydra
(14,459 posts)Along with all of his cronies. How many times has that happened, do you suppose?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)ronnie624
(5,764 posts)Cluelessness abounds, around here.
Meh, indeed.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)http://election.democraticunderground.com/1168548
or at least a strip search:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002521527
or perhaps a felony charge for streaming something online:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014559157
I hope for your sake that you're not an investigative journalist:
http://upload.democraticunderground.com/10023365713
or were thinking about disclosing illegal behavior on the part of the federal government:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022672473
Or maybe your scenario is exactly right:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023429790
Police climb through innocent family's window, shoot their 2 dogs - No warrant, no evidence
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023430361
I really wish what you said were hyperbole, but it's gotten very creepy and dystopian out there.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)I'm seeing less and less daylight between what we're doing and what we used to call the Stazis out for.
When did we decide that we really liked what those people were doing, but didn't like their economic system?
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)I guess they decided that corrupt and unbridled capitalism is just more profitable...but they stole the parts they admired!
Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)Th1onein
(8,514 posts)You knocked it out of the park with that post!
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)You better believe it, and far too many of them are 'progressives'.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)They only thing they are progressing is RW policies.
unwittingly or otherwise.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)I agree.
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)such 'progressives' can't understand why others are concerned about 'our' government keeping detailed dossiers on every citizen.
It just doesn't bode well for our country's political future.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)Outstanding post, xocet. Thank you!
The Business of America is minding you don't get into our business.