ACLU/Daniel Ellsberg Statement and link to petition.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

There has not been in American history a more important leak than Edward Snowden's release of NSA material—and I include the Pentagon Papers 40 years ago.

Americans and the world recently learned that the U.S. government has been indiscriminately spying on us. And I’ve seen firsthand how the consequences of that kind of government abuse threaten our most fundamental liberties.

So when the government insists that its massive surveillance programs are legal—that procedures were followed and safeguards put in place—let me be clear about what they really mean: secret courts immune to scrutiny, secret briefings to a handful of legislators, and an executive branch claiming more and more unchecked powers.

Now thanks to Edward Snowden, we know the truth. Among other things, Snowden’s revelations have allowed the ACLU to bring a lawsuit challenging the NSA’s phone call dragnet as an abuse of statutory power and a violation of 1st and 4th amendment rights.

But I want to say to you that this is not a time for lawyers alone—this is a historic development that hits all of us directly, here at home, and this may be our last chance to rein in the surveillance state.

Over 200 years ago, in the pre-digital dawn of this great nation, the founders of America never fathomed the kinds of surveillance powers that have now been turned against Americans—nor would they ever have granted to a spy agency the vast, sweeping powers we’ve learned of recently.

Now, thanks to the public revelation of these spying programs, several pieces of legislation are moving in Congress to address the danger of Section 215 of the Patriot Act. If they are to have a chance, we must rise up and call for change.

Join me in calling for the repeal of the surveillance state provisions of the Patriot Act and FISA today.

https://www.aclu.org/secure/stop-spying?emsrc=Nat_Appeal_AutologinEnabled&emissue=natsecurity&emtype=petition&ms=eml_acluaction_ellsbergspying_130619&af=FjPB3laJmE3LCiqDWZraYzg7KjGhBgw%2BG49mzSOAC1npMbviRZXgQAnnDe%2Bqw3HwbObcbtxxxAu0bCr%2BUXS4bN7QQamEfwtcVqsz7nu4vwLHFWCTEGU9X2tbHA3Uf8VTXIdbExp3RcD94LUUB2Hr5cMHHtPlsPumk8Xg4m5BRDcKUjr%2FjVMU40VxA1o2XegYOrtEDmpkUuvF7g1kwB1X8SsY4NG1qNnHuS1R4wFd%2B5qvlFIAG51k1EH4diEhB4%2Fe&etname=130619+ACLU+Action+NSA+Campaign-Daniel+Ellsberg&etjid=895679

Let's stand together in the days ahead,

Daniel Ellsberg on behalf of ACLU Action

[Catherina]

1. Ding, ding ding! "this may be our last chance to rein in the surveillance state"

So many people have warned the nation, whistleblowers followed their consciences and risked a lot to warn us, Edward Snowden is risking his fucking life to warn us.

America, we can not go back to sleep.

Ellsberg is warning us now: "this may be our last chance to rein in the surveillance state"

For our children, for our grandchildren, for today's children and children of future generations all over the world, wake up please, "this may be our last chance to rein in the surveillance state"