Gathering in U.S. Condemns NSA Spying on “Whole Populations"

First Major Political & Cultural Gathering in U.S. to Condemn NSA Spying on “Whole Populations”

When: Wednesday 19 7:00 pm
Where: The Great Hall of The Cooper Union, 7 East 7th Street, NYC

Calling President Obama’s justification for the NSA surveillance programs “high-stakes damage control,” organizers of Wednesday night’s protest gathering cite a “potentially pivotal moment” for the public to express its disapproval and outrage at “the most massive government spying in history into the communications and activities of billions of people on the planet.”

Speakers will include Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst, who calls NSA surveillance a “gross violation of rights.”  Among performers will be Mike Daisey, creator of “The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs,” who will be performing a new monologue about leakers Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning.

World Can’t Wait, sponsor of the event, recently published a message in The New York Times calling for the immediate closure of the US prison in Guantanamo, the end of indefinite detention as a policy, and the release of prisoners who have been cleared for years. It said: 

"In the name of safety, fear or revenge, American presidents cannot be allowed to arrogate to themselves the power of judge, jury and executioner. Actions that utilize de facto torture, that run roughshod over the rule of law and due process, and that rain down terror and murder on peoples and nations, amount to war crimes. Such actions cannot in any way be morally justified in the name of ‘protecting Americans.’”

The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Continuing Education at The Cooper Union.

ENDS

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