Quotes from Glenn Greenwald

Ultimately, the reason privacy is so vital is it's the realm in which we can do all the things that are valuable as human beings. It's the place that uniquely enables us to explore limits, to test boundaries, to engage in novel and creative ways of thinking and being.

In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its unique ability to provide a truly adversarial check on those in power.

We know that U.S. voters, and world leaders, allow Obama extraordinary leeway when it comes to deadly drone strikes, precisely because of his politics, character and background. (We are talking about a man, after all, who won the Nobel Peace Prize while ordering the automated killing of suspected Muslim terrorists around the world).

I've always thought stability was suffocating and deadly. Like, when I read that the kids I went to law school with have stayed at the same firm, I feel like I'm reading an obituary. How much money do you need? Six million, seven million? Put that in the bank and do something else. Get out!

Obama supporters pretended that his 2008 campaign was some sort of populist uprising even as Wall Street overwhelmingly supported his candidacy.

The single most remarkable (and revealing) fact of the Obama presidency may very well be the lack of a single prosecution of Wall Street executives for the massive fraud that precipitated the 2008 financial crisis.

Whatever one thinks of the justifiability of drone attacks, it's one of the least 'brave' or courageous modes of warfare ever invented. It's one thing to call it just, but to pretend it's 'brave' is Orwellian in the extreme.

Somehow, when the authoritarians on the Right search for icons of manly warrior power to venerate, they find only those who like to melodramatically play-act as such, but who ran away when it came time to actually perform.

There are few things more dangerous in a democracy than allowing a President to wage secret wars without the knowledge of the country.

To me, it's a heroic attribute to be so committed to a principle that you apply it, not when it's easy, not when it supports your position, not when it protects people you like, but when it defends and protects people that you hate.

American political culture quickly and always outpaces any attempt to satirize it.

He's the President—it's the responsibility of every citizen to criticize aggressively when they think it's warranted.

It's common to go from 'crashing the gate' to guarding it.

Incestuous, homogeneous fiefdoms of self-proclaimed expertise are always rank-closing and mutually self-defending, above all else.

They're called 'facts', and my role is to amplify those, not cheerlead. And I don't care at all what you think of my motives.

Secrecy is the linchpin of abuse of power, . . . its enabling force. Transparency is the only real antidote.

Transparency is for those who carry out public duties and exercise public power. Privacy is for everyone else.

The definition of an extreme authoritarian is one who is willing blindly to assume that government accusations are true without any evidence presented or opportunity to contest those accusations.

Terrorist', noun: 1. Someone my government tells me is a terrorist; 2. Someone my President decides to kill.

[I]f you want instant, reflexive support for the US government's police and military powers, MSNBC is the place to turn these days.

The government usually announces it killed a Big Terrorist 5 or 6 different times before they're dead - they're almost like cats.

Many of the most important stories in the history of modern journalism have come from sources who have taken information without authorization.

I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.

Surveillance breeds conformity.