I’m a leftist, not a libertarian, but I always feel compelled to bring up a specific point in Snowden’s defense when he is mentioned to divisive opinions:
He did speak up correctly, using the correct channels, and the proper channels told him to shut the fuck up.
Then he again did what he did the rightest way he could, by giving the data to one of the oldest members of the fourth estate, the press, to decide proper course, ONLY AFTER the primary state failed him spectacularly.
They were state secrets with a very well documented list of individuals to which it had been disclosed and he was documented as having had taken issue with the program. It’s reasonable that it would be traced back to him and that he would not be given protections or a fair trial.
Which still would have given him more time to get to somewhere like Cambodia that doesn’t extradite. No this was an ego thing. Either that or he was already compromised by the Chinese and they demanded it to trap him.
It seems more likely that he figured he’d be found out anyway, and decided there might be some safety in the light. Everyone knows him and what he did, instead of just some 3 letter agency that could suicide him without anyone ever noticing.
Oh you couldn’t find anyone could you? We haven’t even done that with guys who handed stuff straight to the Russians without any whistleblowing. Straight up honest to God espionage. They’re in prison still, but they aren’t dead.
ETA, well that sucks. I posted this on the wrong comment chain. But I’m leaving it up because it’s true. We don’t kill our turncoats. We just put them in prison for around 20 years.
I’m a leftist, not a libertarian, but I always feel compelled to bring up a specific point in Snowden’s defense when he is mentioned to divisive opinions:
He did speak up correctly, using the correct channels, and the proper channels told him to shut the fuck up.
Then he again did what he did the rightest way he could, by giving the data to one of the oldest members of the fourth estate, the press, to decide proper course, ONLY AFTER the primary state failed him spectacularly.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Estate
Do you know why he had to out himself? Why didn’t he give stuff to the papers and stay hidden?
They were state secrets with a very well documented list of individuals to which it had been disclosed and he was documented as having had taken issue with the program. It’s reasonable that it would be traced back to him and that he would not be given protections or a fair trial.
Which still would have given him more time to get to somewhere like Cambodia that doesn’t extradite. No this was an ego thing. Either that or he was already compromised by the Chinese and they demanded it to trap him.
It seems more likely that he figured he’d be found out anyway, and decided there might be some safety in the light. Everyone knows him and what he did, instead of just some 3 letter agency that could suicide him without anyone ever noticing.
Oh you couldn’t find anyone could you?We haven’t even done that with guys who handed stuff straight to the Russians without any whistleblowing. Straight up honest to God espionage. They’re in prison still, but they aren’t dead.ETA, well that sucks. I posted this on the wrong comment chain. But I’m leaving it up because it’s true. We don’t kill our turncoats. We just put them in prison for around 20 years.
And had he stopped there it would be fine. He then went on to give secret documents to China and Russia.
You’re commenting the same thing on every comment?
that’s how you have to go when you’re busy pushing narrative yaknow?
Well it’s truth. If I got you twice by accident I’m sorry.