Snowden specifically stated he knew about all sorts of clandestine operations that he did NOT release to the public. As you wrote, his leak did not “jeopardize lives and missions.” However, the part about him not being in the military is irrelevant. A person doesn’t have to be in the military to commit treason.
treason: “Violation of allegiance toward one’s country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one’s country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies.”
Based on what we know, I don’t think Snowden acted to aid our enemies. However, I don’t like the fact he’s in China and wonder where that leads.
In my opinion, a whistleblower only deserves protection when they reveal corruption and/or lawbreaking within an organization. In this case, the government is violating the 4th Amendment. That’s why Bradley Manning is a traitor, while Snowden is a hero.
>>In my opinion, a whistleblower only deserves protection when they reveal corruption and/or lawbreaking within an organization. In this case, the government is violating the 4th Amendment. That’s why Bradley Manning is a traitor, while Snowden is a hero.<<
It’s more likely that Snowden is both a whistleblower and a traitor. There is nothing that says that you can’t be both. It’s entirely possible that he did serious damage to our national security while simultaneously blowing the whistle on government practices that have to be stopped.
This is one of those issues where one’s parents would usually say “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
Too many people (on both sides, I suspect) are making up their minds whether Snowden belongs in jail or on a pedestal based upon their personal political beliefs.
What about the law? Not relevant? Do we get to ignore it when we feel like it? Much as we continually accuse the “other side” of doing?
Snowden released essentially metadata.