"Democracy needs whistleblowers. That's why I broke into the FBI in 1971." Like Snowden, we broke

[deurbano]

laws to reveal something that was more dangerous. We wanted to hold J Edgar Hoover accountable.

by Bonnie Raines

theguardian.com, Tuesday 7 January 2014 13.22 EST

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/07/fbi-1971-burglary-hold-government-accountable

<<Democracy needs whistleblowers. Snowden was in a position to reveal things that nobody could dispute. He has performed a legitimate, necessary service. Unlike us, he revealed his own identity, and as a result, he's sacrificed a lot….

…We knew, of course, that we were breaking law, but I think that sometimes you have to break laws in order to reveal something dangerous, and to put a stop to it.

For five years we lived under the threat of arrest... After five years, the statute of limitations fell for the burglary, and we were relieved. We didn't celebrate on the fifth anniversary, though after that we were more relaxed. We now know they closed the case in 1976 for lack of any physical evidence….

… Dissent and accountability are the lifeblood of democracy, yet people now think they just have to roll over in the name of "anti-terrorism". Members of government thinks it can lie to us about it, and that they can lie to Congress. That concerns me for the future of my children and grandchildren, and that too makes me feel I can talk about, at my age, doing something as drastic as breaking-in to an FBI office in the search for truth.>>

[rhett o rick]

1. Most Americans have been brought up as authoritarians. Blindly trusting their authoritative figures.

It is so much easier to trust your government than it is to hold them accountable. For example, a question we are facing today. How much power do we allow the NSA and other spy agencies? Some among us will say that everything is ok today and we dont want to open that can of worms. So when a whistle-blower opens the can of worms, the cowards among us get mad at the whistle-blower and desperately try to put the lid back on the can. If you want freedoms and liberties, you better be prepared to work for them. There are those that will steal them from you.

[woo me with science]

2. Thank you, Edward Snowden.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, deurbano.

[rhett o rick]

4. " Dissent and accountability are the lifeblood of democracy," Well said. nm

[riderinthestorm]

5. K&R times 1000. nt

[woo me with science]

6. Shine the light on the cockroaches.

K&R