NSA targeted journalists critical of the government.

[44nutman]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/316751-snowden-nsa-targeted-journalists-critical-of-government-after-911
Can't wait for the SS to knock at my door due to this post.

[Howey]

Nothing like a traitor trying to get the press on his side.

[44nutman]

Nothing like a traitor trying to get the press on his side.

Some consider him a whistleblower not a traitor. We would not have known about any of this until he exposed the program.
Here is what Obama says about Snowden.
"I called for a thorough review of our surveillance operations before Mr. Snowden made these leaks," Obama said. "My preference, and I think the American people's preference, would have been for a lawful, orderly examination of these laws; a thoughtful fact-based debate that would then lead us to a better place."

Sounds to me now that the government's hand was caught in the cookie jar, time to label, the person who exposed them as  a traitor. I dated a chick who used to pull that shit all the time. She did something fucked up and somehow found a way to turn it around on me.

[reverend_darth]

I couldn't fuckin agree more.

“After 9/11, many of the most important news outlets in American abdicated their role as a check to power – the journalistic responsibility to challenge the excesses of government – for fear of being seen as unpatriotic and punished in the market during a period of heightened nationalism,” he said. “From a business perspective, this was the obvious strategy,” he continued. “But what benefitted the institutions ended up costing the public dearly."

[uselesslegs]

He's right in that regard. Many journalist did abdicate their role. Very few outlets challenged the expanded powers and where they could lead/ramifications.  The only difference between President Obama and former President Bush is the tech that was available at the time.  Everyone wants to act like all the snooping was done with some purposeful restraint under Bush.  That's a load of bullshit. I guarantee you had the tech been available, it would have been used.

I can remember, quite clearly, arguing about this on da old bored.  I remember Darth, EKG myself and a few others not buying into the, "If you've done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about", crap. And, of course, patriotism was there being waved in everyone's face. 

I remember Fox News bringing down the mighty hammer of bullshit on *treasonous terrorist lovers* at every conceivable moment...daring poor schmucks to prove they weren't unpatriotic assholes who must hate America...otherwise...why did they want to see it blow up?

You know what changed, besides the tech? A Black Democrat is in charge. Ohhhhh fuck no!  I'm not excusing this admin or the agencies knee deep in this invasive shit...but it makes me bristle that NOW all of the sudden...this is a big fuck'in deal. Selective caring. Selective outrage...makes me puke.

You know how I can tell a faker? It's the *blip* of giving a damn they throw out. It's so fucking obvious. "Oh yea, I didn't like this under Bush either...BUT OBAAAAAMMAAAAA." Then 8 paragraphs of Obama's the anti-christ later...Got ya, ya fake fuck.  They only give a shit because it's an ideological hammer...and they want to stand beside me, *ideologies put aside* to denounce this? Get the fuck away from me, ya fakey mcfaker, fake ass. 

The pisser is, it's a legitimate issue...but first and foremost, it's a brick they can hurl at the President.  They don't give a fuck...not intellectually, not on any deeper level that should have had them questioning their own party when this was all taking off. Oh, they THINK they give a shit. Matter as fact, they're convinced of it.  Not a fuck'in peep, not so much as a low groan came out of their mouths when this shit started...and here we are 13 years later, with this shit reaching the point it logically would have as we banged the drums of "dirty bombs!" and *unpatriotic* prior to 2009. Code Red, Code Orange! Shit's going down!

*Now* you give a shit? Now this is something we should seriously address and look into? Ya friggin think?

Here's the difference. I didn't like it then...and I don't like it now. Party has zero to do with my level of disdain for this. It doesn't matter who's in charge, it's bullshit. Ideology isn't even a consideration. I don't like fakers. I don't like people who suddenly care, because the item causes issues for the person or ideology they detest. "Oh, this will cause Tom a headache? Count me in!" That's fucking worse than not caring at all. It means your interest or sudden level of angered zeal is directly proportional to the bullshit it can cause to those entities you don't like. And now as you beat your chest about Privacy and Freedom...that shit is tainted. It doesn't matter if the item is a legitimate point of contention...your fake ass voice and ideologically inspired outrage sullies the shit and detracts from the real issue at hand. Because you're MORE involved because of the nutkick you can get in...and not because of the issue itself.

Fuck'in fake ass fakers.

[ekg]

After 9/11, many of the most important news outlets in American abdicated their role as a check to power – the journalistic responsibility to challenge the excesses of government – for fear of being seen as unpatriotic and punished in the market during a period of heightened nationalism,” he said.

“From a business perspective, this was the obvious strategy,” he continued. “But what benefitted the institutions ended up costing the public dearly. The major outlets are still only beginning to recover from this cold period. Laura and Glenn are among the few who reported fearlessly on controversial topics.

didn't we know this already...

I'm still not sold on the idea that what Snowden is doing is a 'good' thing.. the 'true' whistle blowers let us know about whatever corruption is going on... but all he's doing is just blabbing secrets that don't need to be blabbed..and now stirring the pot he's already stirred..

the idea that the media caved after 9/11 isn't something 'new'.. hell, Will Mcavoy started off his 'news night 2.0' with an apology for caving.. so if it's made it to an HBO prime-time drama, how 'new' can this story be? but when added with the other 'non' story he was blabbing last month about the nsa, it just bolster more hate and distrust against the US and the US Gov't.. a little hate and distrust is healthy, but what he's doing is dangerous and not 'patriotic' at all IMO..

[Howey]

Whew. I agree with ekg