Quote:If he stayed, he wouldn't have lived long enough to see a trial, they would have put a bullet in his head, and called it suicide from a coward. Leaving was the smartest thing he could have done.
Stop watching movies to form your opinion. If he had followed proper protocol and had done what he was supposed to do, he wouldn't be in the position that he is in.
You're right, governments that secretly spy on citizens, would never harm such citizens.
I don't believe going through the "proper" channels any of this would've come out.
I agree with the notion that he's both. Some of it was necessary, some of it wasn't. Either way, the guys got some balls for doing it.
Quote:I agree with the notion that he's both. Some of it was necessary, some of it wasn't. Either way, the guys got some balls for doing it.
But not enough balls to come home and face the music.
Quote:But not enough balls to come home and face the music.
I understand why he doesn't. He is a whistle blower. Whistle blowers should not be charged with treason. And treason is what they want to charge him with.
Quote:I understand why he doesn't. He is a whistle blower. Whistle blowers should not be charged with treason. And treason is what they want to charge him with.
That's what happens to traitors.
Quote:I understand why he doesn't. He is a whistle blower. Whistle blowers should not be charged with treason. And treason is what they want to charge him with.
When you give up state secrets, especially in the volume he did, he's not a whistle blower. He's a traitor. Whistle blowers work within the system. They don't flee to Russia and give up their stuff to the media.
Quote:When you give up state secrets, especially in the volume he did, he's not a whistle blower. He's a traitor. Whistle blowers work within the system. They don't flee to Russia and give up their stuff to the media.
So you really think going through the systems channels the NSA actions would've been challenged?
Quote:When you give up state secrets, especially in the volume he did, he's not a whistle blower. He's a traitor. Whistle blowers work within the system. They don't flee to Russia and give up their stuff to the media.
When you blow the lid on mass spying of American citizens by the American government, clear violations of our laws, that is whistle blowing. You can argue weather he broke laws or went about it in a way that works for you but in the end he blew the whistle on blatant violations and over reach.
Quote:But not enough balls to come home and face the music.
Would you? If he does return, he's almost certainly dead. He took a
massive risk to release information he felt needed to be released. Whether or not I agree with his methods or the information he put forward doesn't change my respect for the ballsiness of the move, and I can't blame him for running from almost certain death.