Terrorist Appeaser Peter King Blasts NY Times For Supporting 'Terrorist Appeaser' And 'Traitor' Ed Snowden
from the King-officially-out-of-stuff-to-add-to-the-'debate' dept
As we noted here earlier, the New York Times editorial board posted a piece in support of granting clemency to Ed Snowden. No sooner had the print dried than the usual suspects began shouting into the nearest open mic about how evil Snowden is. Rep. Peter King, presumably acting on behalf of his constituents, took to Fox News' airwaves to blast the New York Times for supporting the NSA whistleblower.
“Edward Snowden is either a traitor, or a defector, or both, and The New York Times is an accomplice,” King said in an appearance on Fox News. “They’re a disgrace. Their editors are a disgrace, and I wish they cared more about America than they did about the rights of terrorists’ appeasers.”Well, if anyone has the background to be considered an expert on appeasing terrorists, it's Peter King. Of course, he delivered these remarks without any intended irony, but his intentions hardly matter given his past.
Here's a refresher.
Peter King worries about terrorists... but only if they're Muslim. He's perfectly fine with white Irish terrorists, seeing as he went on record during the 80s stating his support for the IRA, which notably bombed a shopping center during the Christmas season, killing six and injuring 90. He was very concerned about their civil rights. Those were his kind of terrorists. These ones, not so much.King doesn't mind appeasing terrorists if they're white and Irish, but woe be unto those that cross his beloved intelligence agencies. King cares so much about America that he's willing to help turn it into a surveillance state. He'll continue to aid and abet the NSA in its overreach, civil liberties be damned. Why? Because the wrong kind of terrorists might otherwise find an opening to attack.
Realistically, the odds of being killed in a terrorist attack in the US are far lower than they are in other nations, even without the NSA compiling mountains of irrelevant data. It's even safer here than it is in the UK where King's favorite terrorists did their damage.
But that's not all King had to say. For seemingly the hundredth time, he repeated lies about the NSA's integrity.
“No one has found any violations [by the NSA} ... no phone calls are being listened to, no emails are being read,” he said, adding that close monitoring only applies to a handful of individuals following an “exhaustive” court process.Hahahahahaha!!!
Oh, wait. He's serious. I wonder who this "no one" is who found all of these violations. In some cases, "no one" is the agency itself, which admitted to so many violations the "exhaustive" court temporarily yanked its metadata-hoovering privileges. Another "no one" caught analysts tracking love interests and listening in on military members' "pillow talk" during their phone conversations with loved ones back home. Oh, and then there was that one time when a certain "no one" dropped thousands of pages of documents into the hands of journalistic entities that offered proof that the NSA had done everything from scoop up location data (which it previously swore it never did) to intercept hardware in order to install backdoors and exploits. It also helped itself to pre-encryption content by siphoning data from overseas fiber cables, using the "not in the US" excuse to justify grabbing US citizens' data and communications. No abuse here, no sir. Just tons of extra-judicial exploration of the "edges of the box."
The NSA's defenders seem to have reached the limits of their imaginations. Every subsequent revelation makes it that much harder to defend the agency. At this point, many defenders are verging on self-parody. Many others (Michael Hayden, Peter King, Mike Rogers) have long since left that tipping point behind.
Honestly, who truly believes Peter King cares about America more than those who have exposed the treacherous actions of an agency whose oversight has failed to hold it accountable for years? Americans still have ideals, even if their supposed representatives don't. King, who spent years stumping for terrorists when not applying layer after layer of black paint to his prized pot now apparently envies the blackness of his imaginary foes' kettles.
There are many ways to care for America, most of which involve challenging the powers that be. King is one of those "powers," and his love of his country is the most insincere of all. His "love" asks for subservience from its countrymen, rather than accountability from its leaders. These leaders can make our country stronger, but that means they have to stop crippling their constituents and diluting their rights. We need courage, not bombastic flag-waving from a man so blinded by irrational hate he can't even see his own hypocrisy.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: ed snowden, peter king, terrorist appeaser
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
In the words of one King Supporter
"This is completely different, there's no comparison between what King did then compared to Snowden, sometimes that kind of terrorist stuff is necessary"
Yes, some Peter King defenders at politico are actually arguing that terrorism is justified sometimes, as in if the terrorists are the 'right' kind of people (white Christians).
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: In the words of one King Supporter
So setting off bombs in crowded locations, killing and maiming a ton of people is 'good terrorism', while exposing illegal/quasi-legal actions of agencies that have gone completely out of bounds, and routinely lie about it to the people who are supposed to be providing oversight of their actions is 'bad terrorism'?
Next time something like that comes up, if they're going to claim that Snowden is a 'terrorist', ask them to list the number of deaths caused by Snowden's actions, with verifiable evidence to back it up the 'death toll'. There may be more than a few jobs threatened, a whole bunch of people with egg on their faces after being caught out on their lies, but as far as I know, for how 'terrible' the NSA's defenders paint Snowden's actions as, not a single life has been lost due to them.
Of course such would be moot really, Snowden isn't a terrorist, he's a whistlblower, the ones who's actions he's exposed are the terrorists, due to constantly trying to keep people afraid and panicked so they can continue on, business as usual.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
I wonder
I marvel at folks who never allow truth or facts to get in the way of their beliefs.
I remain skeptical that they will ever learn.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Peter King is filth
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: In the words of one King Supporter
I suppose that would make Peter King a terrorist too, he is constantly trying to make us believe there is some great threat to be fearful of.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: In the words of one King Supporter
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Someone should tell him that loyalty to your country is not the same thing as loyalty to your government. Also, that frothing zealotry and blind faith aren't loyalty.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: In the words of one King Supporter
Uh, that's actually the government doctrine. It is ok to fly drone attacks in Pakistan for killing dark-skinned people of the wrong religion and persuasion, including a generous amount of bystanders. There is no judicial process involved either.
The attacks are heavily propagandized and called "strikes against international terrorism" or whatever.
Which is very close to what "regular" terrorists do.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
"There are many ways to care for America, most of which involve challenging the powers that be. King is one of those "powers," and his love of his country is the most insincere of all. His "love" asks for subservience from its countrymen, rather than accountability from its leaders. These leaders can make our country stronger, but that means they have to stop crippling their constituents and diluting their rights. We need courage, not bombastic flag-waving from a man so blinded by irrational hate he can't even see his own hypocrisy. Representative Peter King is a fucktard."
Yeah, that looks better... even if it doesn't.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: In the words of one King Supporter
...Then it's probably Peter King.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
PK “Edward Snowden is either a traitor, or a defector, or both, and The New York Times is an accomplice,”
BB "I blame Al-Jazeera - they are marketing for the Americans!"
PK “They’re a disgrace. Their editors are a disgrace, and I wish they cared more about America than they did about the rights of terrorists’ appeasers.”
BB "Just look carefully, I only want you to look carefully. Do not repeat the lies of liars. Do not become like them. Once again, I blame Al-Jazeera before it ascertains what takes place. Please, make sure of what you say and do not play such a role."
PK “No one has found any violations [by the NSA} ... no phone calls are being listened to, no emails are being read,”
BB "There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!"
I don't have a direct quote, but for all the people clamoring for Snowden to be brought to justice...
BB "W. Bush, this man is a war criminal, and we will see that he is brought to trial"
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
IF No one has found any violations [by the NSA}
He worked for the NSA, in the NSA, and releasing all those documents isn't a violation?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Terrorist Appeaser Peter King Blasts NY Times
Mr.Clapper lied to Congress.
There are penalties for lieing to Congress.
Congress has not laid charges.
Why
President Obama left a liar in control of the Government spy agency, that Mr Clapper is either breaking Constitutional law, or is so close, to breaking the Constitution, that Mr Clappers actions will be debated for decades, in the Courts, as new revelations on their actions come to the surface. Afterall they are good at keeping secrects, from the people, but not for ever.
Mr. King is in support of what it appears as a bunch of liars.
Charge Clapper and ignore KIng, and prey for the President to support the Constitution of the United States of America.
It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first. President Ronald Reagan
Therfore I ask the question
Has our Democracy truly been prostituted for the benefit of the likes of the US Fed and the elected officials that owe more to their masters than to the masses that elected them.
If our Democracy has been Prostituted, than we truly do not have a Democracy but a meer shadow of a Dream Unfullfilled
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Is that hoovering as in vacuuming, or hoovering as in J. Edgar?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Terrorist Appeaser Peter King Blasts NY Times
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]