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
I have been made stateless and hounded for my act of political expression.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the struggle and bravery associated with standing up for one's beliefs in the face of persecution.
Edward Snowden's quote speaks to the personal sacrifices and severe consequences faced by individuals who express dissent against government policies. It highlights the challenges of standing firm in oneβs convictions, particularly when such expressions can lead to profound personal repercussions, including loss of citizenship and freedom.
Themes
Political ExpressionCouragePersecutionFreedomActivism
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about freedom of speech during a rally for human rights.
More from Edward Snowden
All quotes βI 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.
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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?
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A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all.
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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.
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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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