Here is an outstanding interview from John Oliver’s show on HBO:
The entire episode of Last Week Tonight is about government surveillance. The interview with Snowden, in Moscow, starts at minute fourteen.
Update
This interview, and many others that Snowden has given, show that Snowden gives far more thought to his arguments about secrecy and surveillance, than his opponents give to theirs. Even if his opponents in government were open about what they are up to, you can see that their arguments are mostly rote:
- Snowden is a spy and a traitor (discredit the source).
- We followed all the rules (nothing to see here).
- National security requires extraordinary measures (stir fear of foreign enemies).
- Surveillance stops terrorist plots (these methods are effective).
- Trust us, because we want to protect you (no comment required).
Compare the quality of these arguments, with the quality of Snowden’s arguments. The national security arguments are worn out, and deserve the trash heap.
Related books
No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State
The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World’s Most Wanted Man
The Jeffersonian 