Here is another link for you ..

Quote:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...e6c_story.html The Justice Department on Friday informed a terrorism suspect in Colorado that it intends to use evidence against him gathered through the government’s warrantless surveillance program, a move that will likely lead to a constitutional challenge to the law. ... ... Supporters of the 2008 law say the federal surveillance court that oversees the law’s application has approved rules to protect Americans’ privacy. “Collection is done under the statute pursuant to procedures that the court has held are reasonable under the Fourth Amendment — and therefore are constitutional,” said one former senior national security lawyer, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. But critics argue it is unconstitutional because it allows the government to monitor telephone calls and emails without probable cause or any of the other safeguards that the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches ordinarily require. “It allows dragnet surveillance of Americans’ international communications,” Jaffer said. ...

You can't wish this away ... This whole NSA surveillance matter is heading for the Supreme Court again. An unconstitutional law is an illegal law, it's the same meaning.

Even soldiers do not have to follow illegal orders. But then the Nazi SS followed orders *the Nuremberg laws), the chain of command followed orders at My Lai, the Khmer Rouge followed orders ... This NSA affair may not be as drastic -- it is not murder. However, the NSA folks are following orders too -- illegal court orders.

So you are pissed at Snowden for not following what he believes to be illegal orders? That is for the Courts to decide. They will either hang Snowden for treason or vindicate him in the end.

This is the kind of shit that has led to the radicalization of the Second Amendment gun ownership rights. Defending personal freedom from a constantly more oppressive US government. When the government doesn't follow its own laws -- citizens will take matters into their own hands when pushed far enough.

I lived this during the Vietnam War era. Nixon's Enemies List, J. Edgar Hoover's illegal wiretaps, Pentagon Papers Leaker Daniel Ellsberg Praises Snowden, Manning => http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...nowden-manning this is the same shit all over again and I know how it worked out the last time -- I was there.