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
My intention is to ask the courts and people of Hong Kong to decide my fate.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects Snowden's desire for accountability and justice in the face of his decision to expose governmental surveillance.
Edward Snowden's quote reveals his courageous stance on seeking judgment from both the legal system and the public regarding his actions taken to inform them about the extent of government surveillance. His words suggest a deep commitment to transparency and the belief that individuals and institutions should be held accountable for their actions, ultimately appealing to a collective conscience about privacy and freedom.
Themes
TransparencyJusticeSurveillanceAccountabilityFreedom
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a discussion about whistleblowers and the importance of exposing corruption.
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?
Edward SnowdenRead
A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all.
Edward SnowdenRead
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.
Edward SnowdenRead
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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