“Snowden is a patriot. He gave up a comfortable life when he exposed the NSA for what it is”
Disagree.
He is a coward and a traitor.
If he was truly concerned he could have run it up the chain, taken it to the IG, and if that didn’t work, to his Senator or Congressman (probably the best avenue).
He didn’t try any of that.
He ran.
He didn’t stand there bravely and take the spears for his “courage.”
A patriot means not backing down, being willing to pay the price for standing on your principles and for protecting the rights of Americans.
Heck, if he just stayed and acted like a man and bravely took his hits for releasing to the press I could respect him for that.
Instead, he ran and is now living comfortably in Russia.
Being a patriot does not mean running away and cowering with sworn enemies.
What is your opinion of all of the survivors of the Bengazi attack that have refused to go public. Are they cowards or patriots for remaining silent?
“If he was truly concerned he could have run it up the chain, taken it to the IG, and if that didn’t work, to his Senator or Congressman (probably the best avenue).”
He would have been killed or indefinitely imprisoned the moment anyone of importance learned his intentions. He had to go public right away or government abuses would have remained secret.
His only option to stay alive and hold his narrative was to go to a hostile nation where we are unlikely to send a team to get him.
The only other possible option would have been to dump the data online for everyone and surrender publicly to the blackboots. But then the US government would have gagged him and controlled the narrative once they got him.
“He didn’t stand there bravely and take the spears for his “courage.””
Yea. Right. That would be smart!
“Heck, if he just stayed and acted like a man and bravely took his hits for releasing to the press I could respect him for that.”
He is living in exile forever.
“Instead, he ran and is now living comfortably in Russia.”
Hmmm, have you been to Russia?
Seriously???!!!
What scandal has that worked to correct? Fast and Furious? IRS targeting? VA Hospitals? POTUS eligibility? Voter fraud and ObaMao accepting foreign money? Benghazi? I could go on all day and still wouldn't scratch the surface of the tip of the iceberg...