| ▲ | firesteelrain 6 hours ago |
| The problem is he can’t excuse the offense under the Espionage Act because it doesn’t have a public interest defense. One could argue that it should have that defense. But that doesn’t mean the resulting trial would have been a “muppet trial” He could have had counsel, challenged the government, and had a jury decide guilt. It would have been fair. It actually looks worse to flee like he did |
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| ▲ | anon7000 6 hours ago | parent | next [-] |
| I don’t understand. He’s absolutely guilty of violating the US government and probably a handful of laws. I will respect him forever for doing that. But I completely agree that any trial he’d participate in is A) not going to be fair, because why would you trust the government on an issue like this, and B) not really necessary, because he didn’t do anything wrong, even if it was illegal. The only reason to NOT flee is if the government didn’t care about whistleblowers and has amazing protections for them, even in the context of national security. Does it? Maybe you think what he did was morally wrong. Who fucking cares, what the government was and is hiding is even more morally wrong. |
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| ▲ | ShinyLeftPad 4 hours ago | parent [-] | | For some people what Snowden did was the right thing. But settling in that particular country, makes it seem like he didn't do it from pureness of his heart. Maybe it was accidental but optics is optics. He took the easy way out that is best for him individually, which is understandable but undermined future debate on the question | | |
| ▲ | modo_mario 2 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | >But settling in that particular country, makes it seem like he didn't do it from pureness of his heart. It was not the original intent from what i understand. But also, what country could protect him from the US other than Russia or China and wouldn't hand him over? | | |
| ▲ | ShinyLeftPad an hour ago | parent [-] | | > But also, what country could protect him from the US other than Russia or China and wouldn't hand him over? As i wrote he probably took the easiest way out for himself. We are in agreement. I just say what's better for himself is not necessarily better for the debate/cause. I don't know how that is controversial. |
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| ▲ | sensanaty 20 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | > But settling in that particular country, makes it seem like he didn't do it from pureness of his heart. Maybe it was accidental but optics is optics. Who the fuck cares if it's not from "pureness of his heart"? Why are we holding him to an infinitely higher standard than the bastards in the US gov't who were doing all the spying that Snowden uncovered? | |
| ▲ | mitxela 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | Where else would he go? Not many countries don't extradite you to the US for that. US enemies are your only options, and that fact is solely the fault of the US. | | |
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| ▲ | unsungNovelty 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-] |
| "doesn't have a public interest defence". Can't be serious. |
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| ▲ | firesteelrain 6 hours ago | parent [-] | | There isn’t one under the law so no. Why wasn’t the whistleblower process followed? Why didn’t he try to contact his congressman/ senator ? He could have said I don’t want a clearance anymore and disclosed his concerns. He could have reported anonymously even. He wanted public debate and discourse on something that the process didn’t allow | | |
| ▲ | unsungNovelty 6 hours ago | parent [-] | | What he exposed was found illegal by US courts. And the govt had to stop it. What more evidence do you want? | | |
| ▲ | lern_too_spel 5 hours ago | parent [-] | | A single program he leaked was illegal. The vast majority was not, including the hacking of Chinese targets that he leaked directly to SCMP. |
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