Is Snowden a hero or a traitor?

[William]

This is just a discussion to see opinions and views on Edward Snowden, the leaker who revealed secrets of what the American NSA had been doing. These included spying on all cell phones, emails, text messages, and just about every aspect of communication. Personally, I think what he did to be right and just as it revealed a Government story of how they are clearly violating the Constitution of the United States. I'm surprised as well that there are not protestors outside Washington but oh well, just let them listen to their cell phone calls.

[ClearlyInvsible]

If he's a traitor so is every single whisleblower ever.

If he was posting atrocities done by North Korea or China he'd be getting a Nobel Prize. Snowden is risking his life for the people of the United States, he's a hero if there ever has been one.

Plus, anyone Cheney calls a criminal is usually A-OK in my book.

[Desert Thunda]

Hero.

[Pinball Wizard]

A hero, I mean everyone suspected the government to be able to tap into us but he just reveals it to the ignorants and doubtfuls in our country.

[Karth]

Well they use those same tactics to catch many home born / islamist radicals in America before they try to bomb/plot something against us.  So without this program, there would be x10 more terrorist incidents in America if not more, there was a study they conducted about it which I will try to find.  Snowden is not a hero in my opinion, and hes not a whistleblower, yet hes not exactly a traitor.. he just violated his confidentiality agreement with NSA.  Not to mention both China and Russia have similar programs if not more intrusive with their citizens.   The government again has the ability to spy pretty much anything we have, its just which people they choose to do it on, and if they choose to do it on people who talk about terrorist plots or bombings, then that should be accepted.

[ClearlyInvsible]

So, we should be more like China and Russia, that's not a completely stupid idea at all! (Words dripping in sarcasm)

Karth I respect your opinion, and it is yours, but there's only so much I'm willing to let the NSA use to defend the nation. I mean this could be easily used for... other purposes.

Plus there are other (And larger) threats that extremists, I point my finger to the many militias in our nations. Also gangs kill more people a year then 9/11.

[Karth]

We should not be more like China and Russia, we are a capitalist society, where every little financial transaction is monitored and anything out of place is flagged.  They did an indepth study on the actual NSA documents released by Snowden, and the NSA also released how many terrorist plots were foiled due to their programs and they prevented over 50 "9/11" type of plots worldwide.  Essentially they spy on radical wack people and relay that information t other countries so those other countries are aware of them.  Its just the morality of whether the technology and capabilities our government possesses is able to spy on other countries as well (which no crap they do), and on normal American citizens (which they have the function of doing).  But its not like they are spying your texts when you text your weed dealer "im lookin to score a dime tonight" and they find and arrest you lol, thats what most people misconceive it as

[William]

Personally, I feel that America has just been plummeting in the last 50 years. Looking at our economy we have had massive inflation, the fiscal cliff is never dealt with, they just expand it to make more debt, ( I feel bad for the smart people who actually thought, "hey, lets make a debt ceiling") and terrorists only want us. It doesn't help that nearly every country in the world hates us and that we are giving billions of dollars to countries that are fighting civil wars with Islamic extremists.

I feel we should bring back the gold standard to at least have a back up if the American dollar goes through something. Not to mention if the world switches out the US Dollar as a world currency for something else America is going to go down, way down.

[ClearlyInvsible]

How do they draw the line between "Radical" Islamists and normal muslims?

I mean I'm a proud American, but I don't want my faith and that of my family's to be a reason for us to be put onto a list of psychotic mass-murderers.

I feel we should bring back the gold standard to at least have a back up if the American dollar goes through something. Not to mention if the world switches out the US Dollar as a world currency for something else America is going to go down, way down.

The Gold standard makes the amount of money too rigid for people to screw with, that's the reason it's still not in use.

[Karth]

@Clearly that is the ultimate question, I am unsure how they are drawing that particular line and maybe they are really spying on innocent muslims in our country. (Well it was way worse right after 9/11)

Our economy is just always like that, I myself daytrade as a hobby and have invested in several mutual funds/ specific stocks and also do options (which is just gambling with contracts).  One day the DOW can drop 300 points and the next it can go up 500, its never really stable for a prolonged period of time and currency and commodities trading is something I never get into.  (But I think this is sorta off topic  )

[munky-wunky]

He is a traitor. You dont just work for that level of the goverment and then just spill the beans. I don't care  if spying was good or bad. He took a oath and he broke it. He is un-American.

[William]

So you wouldn't mind if a terrorist accidently called you that you would be tailed, flagged, and put on a watch list?

[ClearlyInvsible]

He is a traitor. You dont just work for that level of the goverment and then just spill the beans. I don't care  if spying was good or bad. He took a oath and he broke it. He is un-American.

Is it really un-American to tell everyone the truth? The government is supposed to serve the people, not the other way around.

[Gunther AV]

Personally, I feel that America has just been plummeting in the last 50 years.

That is because after WWII america got cocky and started intervening with foreign affairs.

[ClearlyInvsible]

Personally, I feel that America has just been plummeting in the last 50 years.

That is because after WWII america got cocky and started intervening with foreign affairs.

+1