Ron Paul Launches Snowden Clemency Petition

Asylum for the NSA whistle-blower, who is in Russia, expires in July

Former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has started a petition demanding clemency for the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who revealed its metadata surveillance program.

"Edward Snowden sacrificed his livelihood, citizenship, and freedom by exposing the disturbing scope of the NSA's worldwide spying program. Thanks to one man's courageous actions, Americans know about the truly egregious ways their government is spying on them," Paul says in a video on his Ron Paul Channel website, which he started last summer. 

The petition asks supporters to sign the petition to bring Snowden back to the United States before his status of temporary asylum in Russia expires in late July.

"By signing this petition, you are telling the U.S. government that Mr. Snowden deserves the right to come home without the fear of persecution or imprisonment," the webpage says. 

Comments

[VinnyG]

While I heartily subscribe to the premise that Ed Snowden is a hero, there is a wee little problem with signing this petition (or "The Day We Fight Back" example). In the burgeoning police state that is the US, if you sign your real name, all that you will likely accomplish is to get that moniker added to some three-letter-agency hit list (or move it higher in the collating sequence, if you are already a "member"). Of course, you could sign anonymously, but that is pretty pointless, as there are valid reasons to discount such an anonymous endorsement. How to solve this dilemma? Maybe consider a contribution (anonymous of course) the the fund that Wikileaks is collecting on Snowden's bahalf.

-VG