I was an NSA spy & Why Snowden REALLY matters.
First a couple of quick notes:
I really was. A lowly private intercepting foreign military communications and it was a long time ago. There were very strictly enforced guidelines regarding what was and wasn't allowed. Those lines have shifted and if you don't like them you should talk to your congress critters about it. I can help you do that - ask me how in a PM or comments. I have talked to them, and continue to do so, but if you want them to hear you...
The good and bad that Snowden did will be debated for a long, long time. I'm not going to try to convince you that my opinion is right or pretend that you even care what I think about his
traitorous actions. Yes, we should be aware of what our government does and protect our freedoms. I think we can all agree on that.
What really matters is how he did it and what he did afterwards. There is little doubt that he had to protect himself after taking a bold and what must have seemed like heroic step. History is full of people who took heroic actions and those who didn't protect themselves are lost to us. they didn't get to make history. They didn't get to make a difference. They just disappeared.
Snowden had/has the chance to make a difference now. By stepping up and facing the consequences of his actions he can cause the American government to justify what they do. We can hold them accountable and if change is needed we can make them change. But he's not doing that, is he ?
By hiding out and continuing to act the coward, he's causing many of us to rally around a coward. We (many of us) feel that treachery and cowardice are heroic. We believe that it's okay to do whatever we want and don't have to be held accountable for our decisions. Is that the America we want ? Is that what our values have become ?
How can we expect the government to be accountable if we don't expect each other to be ? It is after all - a government OF THE PEOPLE !
Sorry for the look of this one - I really need to figure out how to link my G+ and bloggers together better.
First a couple of quick notes:
I really was. A lowly private intercepting foreign military communications and it was a long time ago. There were very strictly enforced guidelines regarding what was and wasn't allowed. Those lines have shifted and if you don't like them you should talk to your congress critters about it. I can help you do that - ask me how in a PM or comments. I have talked to them, and continue to do so, but if you want them to hear you...
The good and bad that Snowden did will be debated for a long, long time. I'm not going to try to convince you that my opinion is right or pretend that you even care what I think about his
What really matters is how he did it and what he did afterwards. There is little doubt that he had to protect himself after taking a bold and what must have seemed like heroic step. History is full of people who took heroic actions and those who didn't protect themselves are lost to us. they didn't get to make history. They didn't get to make a difference. They just disappeared.
Snowden had/has the chance to make a difference now. By stepping up and facing the consequences of his actions he can cause the American government to justify what they do. We can hold them accountable and if change is needed we can make them change. But he's not doing that, is he ?
By hiding out and continuing to act the coward, he's causing many of us to rally around a coward. We (many of us) feel that treachery and cowardice are heroic. We believe that it's okay to do whatever we want and don't have to be held accountable for our decisions. Is that the America we want ? Is that what our values have become ?
How can we expect the government to be accountable if we don't expect each other to be ? It is after all - a government OF THE PEOPLE !
Sorry for the look of this one - I really need to figure out how to link my G+ and bloggers together better.
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