Edward Snowden PRISM: Social Media Supports Him, But That's Not Enough
Whether or not Edward Snowden is extradited from Hong Kong, it looks like he's already made it back home. Through the hearts of Americans, that is. Snowden supporters all across the Stars and Stripes are taking the blogospheres and interwebs by storm. Snowden support is, dare I say, trendy.
Barack Obama has yet to comment on his administration's next steps, though they are sure to mirror past reactions to hackers. The American public, on the other hand, has spoken. Based on analytics from Topsy, Twitterites are more like to consider Snowden a hero than a traitor — at a rate of 30 to one. On a similar note, more have called for his pardon than his extradition. Anyone looking to for a bit of keyboard activism can tweet #IStandWithEdwardSnowden.
Or like some other trigger-ready patriots out there, you could sign the latest We The People petition supporting Snowden. Since yesterday, over 16,000 people had already signed this petition:
There are even a few Facebook options. Their numbers are unimpressive, but it hasn't been long since the story broke. We'll give Facebook a bit more time to catch up:
But let's not forget that keyboard activism is just that. It's a click that doesn't require organization, true investment, or any real thought all. The danger this time is that the next steps we do or do not take against the Obama administration will define how much further future leaders are allowed to pry into our lives in the name of national security.
Obama's now two-day old rebuttal, "Nobody is listening to your calls," is in no way satisfying. We exchange more information on-line than ever before. Our names and addresses and what cocktail we sipped last night are a just a Google search away. Seemingly unbeknownst to our beloved Barry, no one is sitting with their corded wall phone for hours anymore. "PRISM" and Snowden's other leaked information reveal that our government has been peering directly into our digital profiles ... a.k.a. our lives.
So LIKE and tweet all you need to, kiddies. But write and mail a letter to your congressman too. Over 140 characters though, please.
