--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Snowden had been clear from our first…" description: "\"“Snowden had been clear from our first conversation about his rationale for distrusting the establishment media with his story, repeatedly referring to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/glenn-greenwald-1215_communication_snowden-had-been-clear-from-our-first-co_3001027.jpg" --- # Snowden had been clear from our first conversation about… ![“Snowden had been clear from our first conversation about his rationale for distrusting the establishment media with his story, repeatedly referring to the New York Times’s concealment of NSA eavesdropping. He had come to believe that the paper’s concealment of that information may very well have…” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/glenn-greenwald-1215_communication_snowden-had-been-clear-from-our-first-co_3001027.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/glenn-greenwald-1215_communication_snowden-had-been-clear-from-our-first-co_3001027.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/glenn-greenwald-1215_communication_snowden-had-been-clear-from-our-first-co_3001027.jpg) > ““Snowden had been clear from our first conversation about his rationale for distrusting the establishment media with his story, repeatedly referring to the New York Times’s concealment of NSA eavesdropping. He had come to believe that the paper’s concealment of that information may very well have changed the outcome of the 2004 election. “Hiding that story changed history,” he said.”” [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Snowden believed the media’s concealment of NSA spying altered political outcomes, emphasizing the power of truth in shaping history. **In simple terms:** Keeping secrets can change history. Key Takeaway Demand transparency. Themes media politics truth whistleblowing Mood critical concerned Type analytical political When to use this quote - journalism - government oversight - election integrity - public discourse Key Concepts information control public trust democratic accountability Questions to Reflect On - How does media silence affect democracy? - What responsibilities do journalists have? A Different Perspective Media may lack full evidence, making conclusions speculative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Changed History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-history-789799/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Edward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edward/) [Hiding Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding-story-789801/) [Snowden Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snowden-clear-4764519/) [Story Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-changed-789798/) [Times Concealment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-concealment-4764520/) ## Related quotes > [“He had come to believe that the paper’s concealment of that information may very well have changed the outcome of the 2004 election. “Hiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/he-had-come-to-believe-that-the-paper-s-concealment-of-that/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [I remember old story when there was you and me now the story has changed : there is you and him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin/i-remember-old-story-when-there-was-you-and-me-now-the-story-has/) [Alvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin/) > [I didn't particularly change my name to Fonda because I knew who Fondas were. 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Always remember that unique people are the ones who changed history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/be-different-be-unique-be-a-mystery-always-remember-that-unique/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) > [Whoever has overthrown an existing law of custom has always first been accounted a bad man: but when, as did happen, the law could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/whoever-has-overthrown-an-existing-law-of-custom-has-always-first/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [You couldn't changed history. But you could get it right to start with. Do something differently the FIRST time around. This whole business with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/you-couldn-t-changed-history-but-you-could-get-it-right-to-start-with/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [Assassination has never changed the history of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/assassination-has-never-changed-the-history-of-the-world/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“Something had changed. History resumed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-baxter/something-had-changed-history-resumed/) [Stephen Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-baxter/) > [Opera is something you have to educate yourself about. You have to make sure you understand the stories, what was happening politically, socially during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-hashimoto/opera-is-something-you-have-to-educate-yourself-about-you-have-to/) [Jacob Hashimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-hashimoto/) ## More by Glenn Greenwald > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“The evidence shows that assurances that surveillance is only targeted at those who “have done something wrong” should provide little comfort, since a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-evidence-shows-that-assurances-that-surveillance-is-only-targeted/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Only In America can a renowned and devoted terrorism supporter like Peter King be the arbiter of national security and treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/only-in-america-can-a-renowned-and-devoted-terrorism-supporter-like/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Above even our physical well-being, a central value is keeping the state out of the private realm—our “persons, houses, papers, and effects,” as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/above-even-our-physical-well-being-a-central-value-is-keeping-the/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Converting the Internet into a system of surveillance thus guts it of its core potential. 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We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-desire-for-privacy-is-shared-by-us-all-as-an-essential-not/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Among other devices, the agency intercepts and tampers with routers and servers manufactured by Cisco to direct large amounts of Internet traffic back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/among-other-devices-the-agency-intercepts-and-tampers-with-routers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“NSA has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/nsa-has-increasingly-made-use-of-a-secret-technology-that-enables-it/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [A key purpose of journalism is to provide an adversarial check on those who wield the greatest power by shining a light on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-key-purpose-of-journalism-is-to-provide-an-adversarial-check-on/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“We all instinctively understand that the private realm is where we can act, think, speak, write, experiment, and choose how to be, away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/we-all-instinctively-understand-that-the-private-realm-is-where-we/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) [Explore all 270 Glenn Greenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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