Stuff That Can Happen To You If You Visit the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador

cccmedia wrote:

Snowden is living in an undisclosed location in Russia and is seeking asylum in the European Union.

I think Ed is likely safer in Russia than trying to move to an EU country. I'm sure that he has "minders" in Russia that watch over his safety, but I don't know that he would have that same piece of mind in the EU.

No matter what our media tells us about the Russians, they're not uncivilized barbarians. I never had the chance to go to Russia with my old job, but lots of my coworkers went and said they had a fab time. There were always some sort of Russian government people assigned to them for "safety." Perhaps it was more like government minders that made sure that Americans on their soil were not meddling, but still, my friends said the Russian agents were very great to them and took them out for great evenings.

I think it's ironic and a shame that a true patriot to the American People feels safer running off to the capital of the old USSR than facing his own government and fellow citizens. And the problem of "fellow citizens" is even more troubling. We should expect that our government wants him hanged. Snowden outed their unconstitutional spying on citizens. But to have regular Americans calling for your hanging... that shows how misguided our populace is. The man stood NOTHING to gain from giving up his good salary, his reputation, his homeland, his pretty girlfriend, and fearing a fatal "accident" the rest of his days. Yet he did it because it was right.

(Moderated: inappropriate)

"Truth is treason in the empire of lies." -Ron Paul

Don't now how he feels about it now. Correa has made noises about giving him asylum

You don't think he makes the Kremlin a little nervous. The only condition he got to stay was that  he keep his mouth shut .God only knows what he must be seeing or not being allowed to see there. Think he might come to a bad end if he starts writing about what bothers him about Russia? Maybe they'll put him up to writing some nice articles for "Pravda" (big Moscow newspaper translates the "Truth") Dissent not thought highly of there either.

Were you actually surprised by his revelations? Did you read "1984" ?  The NSA complex is huge. What did you think they were doing? And all the consulting and contracting agencies in DC If you put  your business out in cyberspace it's pretty fair game IMO so the individual ought to be circumspect. Were YOU transparent in all your dealings?

Maybe he'll be able to write some decent autobiographical fiction or Hollywood will offer him a long distance deal.

Am sure it will come back to bite him in the ass one way or another? Rather be at Leavenworth than some gulag in Siberia. Or wonder which cup of tea will have the poison in it (Litvinov)?

Thinking he's a patriot is just as much a knee jerk reaction as thinking he's a traitor

The whole Snowden thing is tangential to my point. You shouldn't get drunk and shoot your mouth off on a public Forum that ANYBODY could be reading.

suefrankdahl wrote:

Were you actually surprised by his revelations? Did you read "1984" ?  The NSA complex is huge. What did you think they were doing?

I was not surprised at all. Ed Snowden was not the first patriot that exposed the U.S. government's spying on it's own people. He was just the first one that had the goods. Snowden had solid proof of it. And he did the only thing he could do. He fled.

As odd is it may appear, as much as it seems like complete horseshit to any of you. There are other Americans that threatened to go public with the U.S. government's crimes against the Constitution before Snowden. True patriots' lives have been completely obliterated because of the spying and the threatened exposure of it all. If you go back to 2005, you'll see testimony from NSA and ATT employees before Congress stating that the NSA was spying on the populace at large. They weren't faking. It was all happening before '05.

I lost everything in my life that made me happy. I had a fabulous life. I was about to be married to a tall, beautiful government attorney. I was making over $100k a year and living the American dream. And then I bucked the USA for what they were doing. And they crucified me for it. I have a lot of regrets. They ruined me.

My life will never be the same because I crossed those despotic assholes. But I have a plan one day to leave it all and come to Ecuador. I'm afraid that Correa is grabbing power for some future regime. But I have faith that the Ecuadoran People won't allow it. The Ecuadorans love freedom more than Americans. I'd bet my future upon it.

I hope I'm right.

Regret is a completely wasted emotion. You did what you did. Time to get over it and move on. For an ex-Marine you sound like kind of a woos. You must think pretty highly of yourself if you think they'd still come after you or maybe you want it to happen

Stay on topic

suefrankdahl wrote:

For an ex-Marine you sound like kind of a woos.

Perhaps I am. I've worked in five continents and 21 countries for the U.S. government. I've traveled all over this world doing what our government told me to do in the name of "liberty". I used to be a very popular guy and gave up a nice life because I thought it was the right thing to do. I challenged the most powerful government that has ever existed and then lost everything that I loved because of it. I didn't do any of that for me. I didn't give away everything I loved because I thought it would help ME. I did it for you and everyone else.

So yes, perhaps I'm a huge wus. A "real man" would have done what he was told without question. A true man, a real U.S. Marine, follows orders without question, right? I guess I'm not that guy. I'm a wus.

I drink too. Wherever you are, I'd be happy to raise a few vodkas with you.

I'm buying.

Brandon,
As much as you may some times feel it, you are not alone. I feel the same way and probably would have done the same thing.
After 22 years of active duty in the Armed forces, I learned a very bad habit, " Questioning Authority".  I have witnessed and received the treatment you describe all over the globe. I have found the one old saying to be true, " Feces will rise to the top" in any organization.
What saddens me the most, is to return to my home country and to be treated with disdain. I have been treated far better in countries where I could barely communicate. Which is one of many reasons I now reside in Quito, EC. When you decide to come to EC feel free to contact me and I will assist you in any way I can.

Stay safe, and Always, Always, watch your six.

GMC(SW) wrote:

Stay safe, and Always, Always, watch your six.

As usual when GMC (U.S. Navy, retired) posts, I get to learn some military-speak.

Last time it was "inconus" -- in the continental United States.

This time we learn from the Urban Dictionary that "watch your six" means to watch your back.  Most folks understand that something comin' at ya' from three o'clock is to your right.  Six o'clock, if you're standing in the middle of theoretical big clock and facing the 12, is behind you.

cccmedia in Quito

GMC(SW) wrote:

Brandon,
As much as you may some times feel it, you are not alone. I feel the same way and probably would have done the same thing.
Always, watch your six.

Thanks for your kind words. I know I'm not alone and that many other government people have been railroaded and have had everything taken away for being a whistleblower. There's nothing any of us can do except be bitter about it. And leave. I want to leave the USA and never go back. One day, it'll happen. The day that I can tear up my US passport will be a glorious day, indeed.

I really envy all of you that get to live in Ecuador. What a fabulous place.

cccmedia wrote:

GMC(SW) wrote:

Stay safe, and Always, Always, watch your six.

As usual when GMC (U.S. Navy, retired) posts, I get to learn some military-speak.

I always tried not to talk in military/cop terms, but sometimes you get used to it and think everyone else knows what you mean.

Years ago, a work buddy and my girlfriend and I were all drinking beers at a Mexican restaurant. I was talking to my partner about work stuff, and my girlfriend said, "I think I know what you mean, but I'm not sure... 'What is a "Tat?' and why do you keep using that awful word so much?" It was annoying her to no end for me to talk about some perp's "tats." From then on, I would always use that word around her just to annoy her.

On a near-similar note, a South Carolina guy I met in Colombia said it really annoyed him for his Scot boss to say "Doodad." So, of course I started saying "Doodad" around him all the time.

BrandonBP wrote:

It was annoying her to no end for me to talk about some perp's "tats." From then on, I would always use that word around her just to annoy her.

On a near-similar note, a South Carolina guy I met in Colombia said it really annoyed him for his Scot boss to say "Doodad."

According to several online dictionaries, the origin of the word "doodad" is unknown.

On the other hand, the origin of Brandon's problems with his girlfriends is now clearly known.

cccmedia in Quito

cccmedia wrote:

On the other hand, the origin of Brandon's problems with his girlfriends is now clearly known.

I'm sure the only reason I've had girlfriend issues is because of the aggravation about the words they didn't like. Yes, that's all.

I almost married this one girl that was an attorney (yeah, I'm an idiot). But she said she had this classmate in law school who would say that the point was "moo." And he wasn't playing. He didn't have a dry humor. He actually thought the point was "moo." I got so tickled about this. And this guy would show up at random at places where we would hang out and my girlfriend would say, "That's the MOO guy!" Of course I had to use the word moo in every way possible then.

I'd say, "Moo, bitch, get out the way!" and silly stuff like that. She loved a good pun, but I guess the guy with nice puns never finishes first. That relationship sort of ended in a cowtastrophe. There was too much at steak.

BrandonBP wrote:

That relationship sort of ended in a cowtastrophe. There was too much at steak.

Brandon really milked that one for all it's worth.