On his radio show today with Tavis Smiley, Cornel West reiterated his support for Edward Snowden, the admitted National Security Agency leaker. Snowden came forward earlier this month as the man who had leaked documents to the media that detailed the NSA’s extensive domestic surveillance program.

On today’s show, West makes a link between the gutting of black civil rights in America and Snowden’s call for more government transparency. "Brother Edward Snowden is the John Brown of the U.S. national security state," West said, referencing the 19th century slave abolitionist. "He’s trying to let folks know what is coming given the massive surveillance coming at us.

You can listen to the entire show at Soundcloud (West’s Snowden segment begins at 9:40):