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In contrast Chelsea Manning did not run off to a country run by a dictator but had some sense of conviction. Snowden is sadly now a useful idiot.
by tibbydudeza 2y ago
In contrast Chelsea Manning did not run off to a country run by a dictator but had some sense of conviction.
Snowden is sadly now a useful idiot.
- Angostura 2y agoWhat has he said that you consider ‘idiotic’?
- tibbydudeza 2y agoThe term "useful idiot" refers to Lenin - basically it is folks who might not be for the communist cause but are propaganda tools and usually ignorant they are being used.
- DiogenesKynikos 2y agoThe term "useful idiot" was invented by conservatives in the West during the Cold War, as a slur against social democrats. Lenin never used it. It didn't even exist during his lifetime.
- dash2 2y agoIt was a slur against collaborators with communism, not against social democrats: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/08/22/useful-idiot/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/08/22/useful-idiot/
- DiogenesKynikos 2y agoThe slur was originally directed against social democrats by conservatives who accused them of helping communism. Later, the term became a much more general slur used by conservatives against anyone who wasn't sufficiently "tough" against the USSR.
- ben_w 2y agoMuch easier to get out of harm's way when you've already got the example of Manning showing you that you need to.
- fsflover 2y agoSnowden didn't choose Russia, the USA chose for him by cancelling his passport (!).
- tibbydudeza 2y agoI guess it beats Venezuela, Iran, North Korea or other places less comfortable.