It didn’t take long for some to declare NSA leaker Edward Snowden not only an American hero, but a more patriotic citizen than the members of Congress. That patriot is now reportedly in Moscow and seeking asylum in Russia, and he released a statement today via Wikileaks accusing President Obama of deception and of using the “old, bad tools of political aggression” to deny him a state.
“Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person,” he wrote. “Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.”
STATEMENT: by Edward Snowden from Moscow http://t.co/aDKgLy1xya #snowden #wikileaks #nsa #prism
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) July 1, 2013
Reuters has also obtained a letter Snowden wrote to Ecuador, thanking the country for considering his request for asylum there. “No matter how many more days my life contains, I remain dedicated to the fight for justice in this unequal world,” Snowden said.
For someone so quickly lauded as a hero when he was just an anonymous whistleblower, Snowden’s star has faded quickly, and playing the victim card today only seems to add to the creeping Snowden fatigue. Too late to go back to being a nameless, faceless hero now, huh?
https://twitter.com/AdamWeinstein/status/351829280088535040
https://twitter.com/mckaycoppins/status/351822946525904896
https://twitter.com/chaircrow/status/351823660308365312
https://twitter.com/elisefoley/status/351826414288371712
Snowden breaks law. Snowden flees country to escape persecution. Snowed blames country for enforcing laws? #PROFIT
— Woke Fartbutt (@falsebinary) July 1, 2013
Recommended
Pretty sure the U.S. hasn’t made Snowden stateless, b/c the U.S. pretty much can’t do that. http://t.co/pzpLaici0A
— Greg Greene (@ggreeneva) July 1, 2013
Who wrote this statement? Snowden: "A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum." Nobody stopped him from seeking asylum.
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) July 1, 2013
Snowden can, in fact, return to the U.S. without a valid passport. He's not "stateless."
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) July 1, 2013
Who's advising Snowden? This statement is a wreck.
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) July 1, 2013
It's not quite as awkward as Paula Deen's apology videos, but it's pretty damn awkward.
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) July 1, 2013
Hold on while I look for my world's smallest violin. http://t.co/lRZ2URakyo”
— Derek Beck (@beckcpo) July 1, 2013
Conflicted about #Snowden. Not sure if the cool stance to take is entirely the right one.
— Ross Asdourian (@asdo) July 1, 2013
@Reuters Latest quote by Snowden: "Whine consequences whine whine me me me poor me whine."
— Gidget The Cursing Nun (@GidgetWA) July 1, 2013
https://twitter.com/Ben_Zwang/status/351828116727013376
Some British syntax in the statement posted to Wikileaks (such as, “the United States of America have been”) has many believing Snowden didn’t write the statement at all.
https://twitter.com/jwherrman/status/351827705492283392
Forget the statements: all the world wants now is a different photograph of Snowden to go along with all of the news reports.
https://twitter.com/AthertonKD/status/351828522202959875
For the love of all things holy can we please get a new picture of Edward Snowden already? pic.twitter.com/D1AlD4nqba
— Bob O'Brien (@ClevelandBob) July 1, 2013
https://twitter.com/MattZeitlin/status/351813782714068994
is there another picture of Snowden? I've had it with that neck mole.
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) July 1, 2013
Join the conversation as a VIP Member