Keynote Address - Daniel Ellsberg

Presented at HOPE X (2014), July 19, 2014, 1 p.m. (60 minutes)

We're thrilled that the whistleblower of all whistleblowers - Daniel Ellsberg - will be one of our keynote speakers this year. Ellsberg was the cause of one of the biggest political controversies ever seen in the United States when he released the Pentagon Papers in 1971 and changed history. We are honored that Daniel Ellsberg recognizes the value and importance of the HOPE X conference and it's great to know that he'll be able to speak in person to a whole new generation of individuals who will also shape the direction of the world one day. We can only hope they'll also be ready to stand up for their convictions, no matter the cost.


Presenters:

  • Daniel Ellsberg
    Daniel Ellsberg was the cause of one of the biggest political controversies in the history of the United States when he released the Pentagon Papers in 1971. This top-secret Pentagon study of U.S. government decision-making concerning the Vietnam War was released to various newspapers. When the New York Times was stopped by a Nixon administration court order, Ellsberg leaked the 7,000 pages of documents to the Washington Post and 17 other publications. These revelations clearly showed deceptive practices by the government and played a significant role in changing the views of many Americans - and ultimately in changing history. When Ellsberg turned himself in to face trial for his actions, he said, "I felt that as an American citizen, as a responsible citizen, I could no longer cooperate in concealing this information from the American public. I did this clearly at my own jeopardy and I am prepared to answer to all the consequences of this decision." After a trial which revealed massive corruption and various nefarious plots against Ellsberg, all charges were dismissed.

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