Tag Archives: Snowden

A response to Keith Ng on Hobbes’s Leviathan

Posted on March 12, 2015 by lawrence serewicz

Thanks for the post on Hobbes’s Leviathan. As you note, it is a potent symbol and one with many meanings that wax and wane across different eras.[1] In particular, the idea of the Leviathan as a great creature of the … Continue reading →

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How Snowden’s naivety has harmed the NSA in his own words.

Posted on July 20, 2014 by lawrence serewicz

For many people, the NSA’s arguments against Snowden appear hollow as they lack a smoking gun. The NSA has not provided any evidence that the leaks have damaged their ability to collect intelligence and deal with terrorist threats. For some … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, statesmanship, strategy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How does a bureaucracy protect your freedom?

Posted on June 10, 2014 by lawrence serewicz

In a liberal democracy, the law restrains the government. The people consent to the law that creates the government, which in turn, enforces the law and protects the people. In the basic social contract, protection and obedience are linked by … Continue reading →

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Snowden, Manning and Tsarnaev: is the only difference a pressure cooker? (Part 2)

Posted on March 2, 2014 by lawrence serewicz

(This is the second part of an essay, the first part, published earlier can be found here.) If liberalism cannot satisfy the disgruntled individual, what will? Manning, Snowden and Tsarnaev attack on America has revealed liberalism’s limits in the social … Continue reading →

Posted in censorship, education, Government | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Edward Snowden and America’s suicide

Posted on February 12, 2014 by lawrence serewicz

The Snowden revelations are a wakeup call for the United States. He and his promoters have preached a jeremiad, but not the one most people believe they are hearing. Most people will believe they are trying to wake America up … Continue reading →

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Snowden, Manning and Tsarnaev: is the only difference a pressure cooker?

Posted on December 26, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

If we answer this question with a tentative yes, we uncover a deeper problem for liberal democracy. Exasperated by politics, the political process, and society’s failure to change the political system, the three men[1] acted in their respective ways to … Continue reading →

Posted in censorship, education, Government, scholarship, statesmanship, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

An alternative view of how the Terrorism Act may have applied to Mr. Miranda

Posted on August 20, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

disclaimer: I am not a lawyer so this is a layman’s reading of the Act. As such, it is a speculative piece of writing.  Please do not take it as a legal interpretation of how the Act works. For a robust … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, privacy, transparency | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A suggested summer reading list for Edward Snowden

Posted on July 16, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

Dear Mr. Snowden, I realize that you have a lot of time on your hands so I thought I would suggest a summer reading list for you. The various books, speeches, dialogues and letter may prove educational and useful in … Continue reading →

Posted in education, Government, philosophy, privacy, republicanism, transparency, Uncategorized, vietnam war | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment