Jay Rosen has been tracking the results of Edward Snowden's rebellion against the surveillance state for weeks now in blog posts and tweets. In a recent posting, Rosen draws up into view a quotation in which Snowden talked about his hope of winning this battle and inspiring others to stand up when circumstances require it.

Snowden's remark about winning implies that we now know a modest amount about how small voices can sometimes stand a chance in the big fights. If he's right, it's time to start writing the user's manual. But it's not a manual for a person--it's for webs of individuals and groups that find common ground in protecting and reshaping their democracy.

There'd need to be a chapter for educators, and another for journalists, and another for active citizens, and another about all the ways that elections, though essential, are simply not enough for healthy democracy. And so forth.