Given our history, we Germans are not willing to trade in our liberty for potentially better security. Germans have experienced firsthand what happens when the government knows too much about someone. MALTE SPITZ
A good sentiment, although no completely accurate for Germany. Hopefully they live up to it
I don’t think President Obama is here tonight… But I’m sure he’s listening in.
Mick Jagger, at a concert in DC, June 24, 2013
“The more a society monitors, controls and observes its citizens, the less free it is.”
German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
It is appalling that the United States Government’s behavior has caused us to be lectured by Germany about freedom. The Founders are spinning in their graves.
“Perhaps I am naive, but I believe that at this point in history, the greatest danger to our freedom and way of life comes from the reasonable fear of omniscient State powers kept in check by nothing more than policy documents. [The steady expansion of surveillance powers is] such a direct threat to democratic governance that I have risked my life and family for it.” Edward Snowden, Washington Post
“We are kind of an ‘Authoritarian Surveillance State’” – Paul Krugman, New York Times
And Krugman seems okay with the “Authoritarian Surveillance State.”
‘Whenever we had a debate in the office on how to handle crimes, they do not defend due process – they defend decisive action. They say it is better to kick someone out of a plane than let these people have a day in court. It is an authoritarian mindset in general.’
29 Year old Edward Snowden, NSA Leaker.
‘Once you go on the network, I can identify your machine. You will never be safe whatever protections you put in place.’