Filmmaker Oliver Stone didn’t parse his criticism of the United States during a Fourth of July appearance at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, calling Edward Snowden “a hero.” He also said the rest of the world should stand up to the United States and offer asylum to the National Security Agency whistleblower, The Wrap reported.
“It’s a disgrace that Obama is more concerned with hunting down Snowden than reforming these George Bush-style eavesdropping techniques,” Stone said at an afternoon press conference.
Stone, who won an Oscar for directing “Born on the Fourth of July” in 1989, was at the festival to show two episodes from his TV series “The Untold History of the United States.”
“To me, Snowden is a hero, because he revealed secrets that we should all know, that the United States has repeatedly violated the Fourth Amendment.” Stone said. “He should be welcomed, and offered asylum, but he has no place to hide because every country is intimidated by the United States.
“This should not be. This is what’s wrong with the world today, and it’s very important that the world recognizes and gives asylum to Snowden. Everyone in the world is impacted by the United States’ Big Brother attitude toward the world.”
The Wrap reported that Stone told the audience made up largely of European journalists, that their countries should resist U.S. pressure. “We need countries to say no to the United States,” he said.
“And the world is in danger with our tyranny.”