US spy chief Clapper defends Prism and phone surveillance

[Peter Lemkin]

I wish that I could legally share with you the events that led to my decision. I cannot. I feel you deserve to know what's going on - the first amendment is supposed to guarantee me the freedom to speak out in situations like this. Unfortunately, Congress has passed laws that say otherwise. As things currently stand, I cannot share my experiences over the last six weeks, even though I have twice made the appropriate requests."

Does that sound like a message coming from a citizen of a healthy and free country? Secret courts issuing secret rulings invariably in favor of the US government that those most affected are barred by law from discussing? Is there anyone incapable at this point of seeing what the United States has become? Here's the very sound advice issued by Lavabit's founder:This experience has taught me one very important lesson: without congressional action or a strong judicial precedent, I would _strongly_ recommend against anyone trusting their private data to a company with physical ties to the United States."

Sad it has come to all this [long has been so....only gotten worse day by day]...but anyone who thinks for a second it will not get MUCH WORSE very SOON, unless we fight this is naive in the extreme! The looniest idea in years is 'cloud computing'...a dream invention of the NSA.....your data sits in their [hired] servers....they don't even have to illegally perloin it...you give it to them for 'safe keeping'.

Hats off to Lavabit!!!