Whistleblower Edward Snowden is elected rector of Glasgow University, good choice by the student body, symbols are still important; unfortunately he wouldn’t be able to chair the University Court as the Americans are still upset with him

Dear All

Universities are in part about studying the truth.

The University of Glasgow; hasn’t a great history in that regard concerning truth but the student body has from my experience, they have decided to elect US whistleblower Edward Snowden as Rector.

Edward Snowden will not be able to chair the Court due to the fact he is in Russia and the Americans want to jail him for life for leaking secrets.

He grassed up that we are all being spied on by the Americans, we already knew that one, but he provided the evidence which left the Americans rather humiliated in the capitals of the world.

Still it was the right thing to do.

Cost him dear tho, he lost his country, when arguably he is one of the greatest Americans of modern times.

The computer analyst was nominated by a group of students at the University of Glasgow who received Mr Snowden's approval through his lawyer.

Snowden defeated former champion cyclist Graeme Obree, author Alan Bissett and the Rev Kelvin Holdsworth.

Obree and Holdsworth had a look in; I discounted Bisset when he came out with Scotland’s unpopular Deputy First Minster Nicola Sturgeon as person of the year.

Unsuitable to be Rector in my opinion for showing bad judgment!

Snowden is staying in Russia where he was given temporary asylum.

The Russians claimed a major coup when they did that and it shoved the human rights credentials up through the roof.

Well done the Americans for their own goal.

A statement from the group which nominated Mr Snowden said:

"We are incredibly delighted to see Edward Snowden elected as the new Rector of Glasgow University. We have a proud and virtuous tradition of making significant statements through our rectors and today we have once more championed this idea by proving to the world that we are not apathetic to important issues such as democratic rights. Our opposition to pervasive and immoral state intrusion has gone down in the records. What is more, we showed Edward Snowden and other brave whistleblowers that we stand in solidarity with them, regardless of where they are. In the following weeks we will continue to campaign for the NSA and GCHQ to cease their assault on our fundamental right to privacy and for Edward Snowden to be recognised as the courageous whistleblower he is, rather than a traitor. For now, however, we are simply excited to see what our new rector has to say about the title."

On twitter, the columnist Euan McColm was less than happy:

“the students of glasgow university strike a blow for total fucking idiocy. fuck them if they need any actual help fighting their corner”.

Which just goes to show you can’t please everyone.

I wrote mid January that if I had a vote, I would vote for Snowden.

George Laird right again.

Finally, failed Yes Campaigner Susan Stewart said:

“The cynic in me wonders how election of Snowden at @glasgowuni will impact on US fundraising and student recruitment, if at all. #rector”

It won’t, maybe if she had spent as long at Glasgow University as me she would know what type of Americans turn up.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University