Skip to main content

Lecture series covers NSA, surveillance, pursuit of peace and healing after 9/11

NSA whistleblower Thomas Drake and peace activist Army Col. Ann Wright, retired, are coming to Salt Lake Community College as one of several stops in Utah during the Peace Advocacy Coalition’s 2014 lecture series.

Drake will speak on “The National Security Agency (NSA) and Our Constitutional Rights” on April 11, 9 a.m. in the new Instruction and Administration Building (IAB), Room 135, at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus.

Photo cred: www.publicradiotulsa.org
Wright will speak about “Pursuing Peace: Healing 9/11” on April 17, 10 a.m. in the new Instruction and Administration Building (IAB), Room 135, at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus.

“We bring them to SLCC as part of our goal of both engaging with the larger community on important issues and of educating the SLCC community, including our students, about what it means to be active and knowledgeable citizens of a democratic society and an increasingly globalized world,” said SLCC’s Dr. John McCormick, dean of SLCC’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. “In that effort, nothing is more important than addressing issues of peace, nonviolence, and human rights.”

Drake, whose Wikipedia page reads like an outline for a John Grisham novel, is a decorated veteran of the Air Force and Navy, as well as a former senior executive for the NSA. He is now an outspoken critic of NSA policies and what he calls the “surveillance state.” While still with the NSA Drake’s relationship with the media and his leaks of declassified information about the $1 billion Trailblazer Project, a controversial program designed to gather intelligence that the NSA Inspector General declared a failure, led to an FBI raid on his home and a federal indictment in 2010.

From Twitter.
At one point Drake, maligned by the NSA and government prosecutors, was working in an Apple store. Eventually, charges related his whistleblowing, which could have resulted in 35 years in prison, were dropped in a deal where Drake pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of misusing the NSA’s computer system. In 2011 he was presented with the Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling and he shared the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence award.

Wright served in the Army for 29 years and then worked for the U.S. State Department for 16 years, during which time her work in Sierra Leone earned her the “Award for Heroism” from her employer. But in 2003 she publicly resigned her position in the State Department in protest against the U.S. invasion in Iraq and the curtailment of civil liberties in this country.


After resigning Wright has gone on to campaign for peace and justice around the world, protesting against drone warfare and the oppression of Palestinians and against the development of nuclear weapons. She has been arrested several times for her feisty protests, one in which she disrupted a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting. She co-authored the book DISSENT: Voices of Conscience, Government Insiders Speak Out Against the War In Iraq.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SLCC's Undergraduate Annual Research Conference Registration Deadline

Salt Lake Community College’s annual Undergraduate Projects, Performances, Presentations, and Research Conference (UP3RC) is set to take place on April 2, at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus, offering students a chance to showcase their academic achievements, fostering a culture of intellectual exchange.  The UP3RC is an annual event designed to celebrate and highlight the academic accomplishments of undergraduate students. It provides a supportive environment for students to share their work, hone their presentations skills, receive constructive feedback, and engage in meaningful discussions with their peers and faculty. All SLCC departments and programs, including faculty and staff, are encouraged to support and visit the day of the event. Students with their poster from last year's UPRC event “The goal of this event is to make sure every school and student is given the opportunity to participate,” says Dr. Kamal Bewar, interim director of the STEM Learning Center, who is chairin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...
Post a Comment
Read more

HB 261 and HB 257 Frequently Asked Questions

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students: The Utah Legislature recently passed two bills that significantly impact higher education:  HB 261  Equal Opportunity Initiatives and HB  257  Sex-Based Designations for Privacy, Anti-Bullying, and Women’s Opportunities. Salt Lake Community College is deeply committed to our students, faculty, and staff. We strive to be a place where all are welcomed and respected. While there are many unknowns about the ultimate effect these bills will have on some student and staff support programs, be assured that SLCC will maintain an environment where all can find success and feel a sense of belonging. In the coming months, college leadership will work to gain clarity and determine the changes necessary for legislative compliance. We will also share this information as it becomes available.  We realize that during this time, some in our college community may feel unsettled and stressed. We encourage you to make use of available SLCC resourc...
Post a Comment
Read more