The Snowden case is complex. An excellent in-depth discussion airing both sides of the issues was heard on NPR's On Point program a few days ago. You can read excerpts and listen to a podcast of the whole segment here. The moral and legal choices available to Snowden are more complex than I first imagined.
The segment also airs Snowden's actual words and his own explanations. Other media sources I follow had not reported them.
[broken link repaired]
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/07/11/snowden-his-own-words
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Snowden's case is hardly controversial. Anyone who signs documents promising not to divulge government secrets is in violation of the law when he does.
ReplyDeleteHe could have outed the government by leaking anonymously to an investigative reporter. Public oversight into a questionable spying program would have been the same or better. But no he went for the glory of a very public outing!
There are human rights groups in America who would have helped Snowden had he considered that avenue. 9/11 brought a huge change to security, and it's a growing and learning process. There were definitely other ways to address this issue.
ReplyDeleteI think gm43 misses the point. Snowden leaked the secrets of those in power, NOT our government. Our government does not allow government to do as it pleases. There are laws and a US Constitution to follow. Those that violate those are not our government, merely criminals.
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