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Ringing in her 67th birthday at New York's Webster Hall Monday night, "Godmother of Punk" Patti Smith praised Edward Snowden and the members of Pussy Riot for "speak[ing] for all of us."
"All of our phone numbers, all of our personal business, the business of our government, Edward let it snow, Edward let it snow," Smith sang before the crowd, Buzzfeed reports.
Buzzfeed continues:
Smith said that she was so happy that the anti-Putin group [...] would "continue to use their voice, because it's very dangerous for them to do so." The singer implored the audience to "not underestimate the danger those girls face by speaking their mind."
"Edward Snowden, Pussy Riot, these people speak for us all," she continued, "all of us who are no longer numb, all of us who are no longer dumb."
Smith also performed the "Edward Snowden" song, which she wrote shortly after the initial leak of classified NSA surveillance information, while touring Europe this summer.
"What our world needs is you and truth. They tread so secretly. But Edward, there's no secrets between you and me," she sings. "What will happen, I don't know. Will they take you away? I don't know. But Edward, let it snow, let it snow. We want to know."
In previous appearances, Smith has also spoken passionately on behalf of the members of Pussy Riot, who earlier this month were released after being held for 9 months in Russian prisons on charges of "hooliganism" for speaking out against the Putin-led government.
"These girls have been such an inspiration," Smith said in June speaking before the premiere to the documentary Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer. "They are our daughters, our sisters.[...] There is not a time when I don't go on stage and I don't think about them, or feel the freedom to speak out and say the things that upset or anger me about my own country."
Below is a video of Smith's July performance of the "Edward Snowden" song at Tradgardsforeningen park in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Patti Smith - Edward Snowden tribute @ Trädgårdsföreningen 2013A newly written song was performed at Trädgårdsföreningen park, Gothenburg 13th July 2013.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |

Ringing in her 67th birthday at New York's Webster Hall Monday night, "Godmother of Punk" Patti Smith praised Edward Snowden and the members of Pussy Riot for "speak[ing] for all of us."
"All of our phone numbers, all of our personal business, the business of our government, Edward let it snow, Edward let it snow," Smith sang before the crowd, Buzzfeed reports.
Buzzfeed continues:
Smith said that she was so happy that the anti-Putin group [...] would "continue to use their voice, because it's very dangerous for them to do so." The singer implored the audience to "not underestimate the danger those girls face by speaking their mind."
"Edward Snowden, Pussy Riot, these people speak for us all," she continued, "all of us who are no longer numb, all of us who are no longer dumb."
Smith also performed the "Edward Snowden" song, which she wrote shortly after the initial leak of classified NSA surveillance information, while touring Europe this summer.
"What our world needs is you and truth. They tread so secretly. But Edward, there's no secrets between you and me," she sings. "What will happen, I don't know. Will they take you away? I don't know. But Edward, let it snow, let it snow. We want to know."
In previous appearances, Smith has also spoken passionately on behalf of the members of Pussy Riot, who earlier this month were released after being held for 9 months in Russian prisons on charges of "hooliganism" for speaking out against the Putin-led government.
"These girls have been such an inspiration," Smith said in June speaking before the premiere to the documentary Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer. "They are our daughters, our sisters.[...] There is not a time when I don't go on stage and I don't think about them, or feel the freedom to speak out and say the things that upset or anger me about my own country."
Below is a video of Smith's July performance of the "Edward Snowden" song at Tradgardsforeningen park in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Patti Smith - Edward Snowden tribute @ Trädgårdsföreningen 2013A newly written song was performed at Trädgårdsföreningen park, Gothenburg 13th July 2013.

Ringing in her 67th birthday at New York's Webster Hall Monday night, "Godmother of Punk" Patti Smith praised Edward Snowden and the members of Pussy Riot for "speak[ing] for all of us."
"All of our phone numbers, all of our personal business, the business of our government, Edward let it snow, Edward let it snow," Smith sang before the crowd, Buzzfeed reports.
Buzzfeed continues:
Smith said that she was so happy that the anti-Putin group [...] would "continue to use their voice, because it's very dangerous for them to do so." The singer implored the audience to "not underestimate the danger those girls face by speaking their mind."
"Edward Snowden, Pussy Riot, these people speak for us all," she continued, "all of us who are no longer numb, all of us who are no longer dumb."
Smith also performed the "Edward Snowden" song, which she wrote shortly after the initial leak of classified NSA surveillance information, while touring Europe this summer.
"What our world needs is you and truth. They tread so secretly. But Edward, there's no secrets between you and me," she sings. "What will happen, I don't know. Will they take you away? I don't know. But Edward, let it snow, let it snow. We want to know."
In previous appearances, Smith has also spoken passionately on behalf of the members of Pussy Riot, who earlier this month were released after being held for 9 months in Russian prisons on charges of "hooliganism" for speaking out against the Putin-led government.
"These girls have been such an inspiration," Smith said in June speaking before the premiere to the documentary Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer. "They are our daughters, our sisters.[...] There is not a time when I don't go on stage and I don't think about them, or feel the freedom to speak out and say the things that upset or anger me about my own country."
Below is a video of Smith's July performance of the "Edward Snowden" song at Tradgardsforeningen park in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Patti Smith - Edward Snowden tribute @ Trädgårdsföreningen 2013A newly written song was performed at Trädgårdsföreningen park, Gothenburg 13th July 2013.