Despite the fact that we know nearly nothing for certain, by any means, about what information Edward Snowden may have revealed to other nations, or exactly what he has stolen on alleged domestic spying, many have either convicted him already or consider him a hero forever.
I take a bit of a skeptical approach myself, knowing that we probably don't know half of the story. Maybe we don't know 1 / 10th of it, and as such, I believe broad judgements should be reserved for later.
Yes, he has broken laws. However so did Rosa Parks. Should we have thrown the key away on her? Yes? She was a criminal. Should that have been the case with Mandela in South Africa? He broke the law. Should Ellsburg been interred indefinitely? Please, let me know if you think so. People crossed bridges in Alabama when the police specifically ordered them not to. I think that some here would have said civil rights is a good thing and we should support it, but if they break the law, their actions are invalid. If not, why not? In part most would say no because we have the privilege of hindsight. They put their lives on the line to defy unreasonable laws put into place. And Snowden has at least chosen a much bleaker future than he may have had as part of the top 2% or so of wage earners. No doubt, his life is on the line too.
On the other hand I have not forgotten the outing of Valerie Plame and how reckless exposure of secrecy could cost good people their lives or careers. At this time we have no such information that anything Snowden has revealed actually has caused such carnage as happened in the Plame affair. John Kerry has suggested this. But again, I have no real idea and neither do you.
I will currently give Snowden a pass as sometimes there are laws, or abuses of laws, which are unjust and sometimes found to be unconstitutional. I will give him a pass as the European Union itself is accusing us of spying on them. Can you imaging Air Force One not being allowed to land in France even if low on fuel? Why doesn't this give some people pause? To me this should not be overlooked. No more than we should overlook gathering data on us without the express consent of the American people. Or at least the full Congress.
Some of us worship nothing or no one. We just want the truth. Even if knowing it may hurt. I admit that in the balance, I find the possibility that the US may have been spying on us domestically in ways that the American people, or some of our representatives in the legislature have signed off on, allowing anonymous judges to make such determinations, is far more troubling that the alleged illegal acts of Snowden at this time. Our current administration has gone after whistle-blowers with a zeal not even seen under G.W. Bush and that gives me pause as well. I do not think it unreasonable that Snowden does not expect any kind of a fair hearing as those such as Ellsburg or Parks had. Sometimes we exonerate these criminals. Others like Manning, whom I also hold much judgement of in reserve, is not covered at all in the mainstream news, and even on many secondary news sources. How many Americans even realize that trial is on?
It is not clear if Snowden is in that same category as Ellsburg, Park, King or others. Or Richard Hanssen or Cheney. Perhaps he has done as much harm as he has good. Perhaps more harm though at this time I see no such evidence. But none of us, and that means you, knows anywhere near the full story. If your ideological, or political position, or devotion to the letter of the law is more important than the truth, this diary will not move you. But that's the path that the Neocons and Teabaggers took. Politics and ideology above all else, even if the truth be damned. If we wind up with a black and white vision of justice, on either side of the issue, we will be just like them someday.
I don't want to be part of that crowd. I've been here at Daily Kos to stand against that kind of thinking. I hope you'll all in the end find it most important to be part of an evidence based community. I'm glad that we argue about it and not march in lockstep. But don't jump the gun until the facts play out.