Activity Quote by Edward Snowden
“The reality is if we sit back and allow a few officials behind closed doors to launch offensive attacks without any oversight against foreign nations, against people we don't like, against political groups, radicals, and extremists whose ideas we may not agree with, and could be repulsive or even violent - if we let that happen without public buy-in, we won't have any seat at the table of government to decide whether or not it's appropriate for these officials to drag us into some kind of war activity that we don't want, but we weren't aware of at the time.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public interview, 2013 on government surveillance
Unregulated covert actions by officials can lead to violent outcomes, and without public support, citizens lose influence over governmental decisions.
In simple terms: Secret attacks can cause violence; public must stay involved.
Key Takeaway
Demand transparency and oversight.
Themes
government
surveillance
accountability
Mood
concerned
urgent
Type
political
informative
When to use this quote
- policy making
- citizen activism
- national security
Key Concepts
political science
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms ensure oversight?
- How can citizens stay informed?
A Different Perspective
Oversight may be limited by classified information.
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![“There was a real choice when [Barack Obama] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold senior officials to account with the same laws that every other citizen in the country is held to," or "This is a nation that believes in the rule of law."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/104/edward-snowden-555_accounts_there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obam_27838.jpg)
