What do you think of this Edward Snowden meme?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:01:21 -0500

I saw this on Facebook. What's your thought?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 9:03 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:03:47 -0500

My first thought is $200,000!!!! Wow I went into the wrong part of the government! The second is yeah ok....and I am part of those 97% that wouldn't repost something that is that stupid.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 9:07 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:07:12 -0500

SFC Private RallyPoint Member I think people should be more open to new ways of thinking, look for information before setting their minds and be open for debate in this kind of topics. We'll never know the whole truth...

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Feb 13 at 2015 9:09 AM

SGT Jim Z. — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:09:26 -0500

He did not make 200K he made somewhere in the 100K. His then employer charged the government 200K for the position he held. Oh the joys of government contracting.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Feb 13 at 2015 9:11 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:11:06 -0500

I feel that what this individual did has done more to damage our standing in the world that almost any other individual that I can remember in my 49 years of life. I shake my head whenever I read/hear someone that cheers him for what he did in the sake of "transparency" and feel that he and Julian Asange(sp?) should be handed over to the US for trial on espionage charges and be held accountable for the damage that they have done. I know there are individuals that say we as a nation should not have secrets and I wholeheartedly disagree, there are times and for certain reasons that we as a nation need to operate in secrecy for the security of our nation. I am not someone who has "drunk the Kool-Aid" but am smart enough to understand that there are areas where our government and nation have to undertake secretive missions to ensure our stability and safety.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 9:30 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:30:41 -0500

As a constitutionalist I think what he did was of real importance. He tried to report within the system and was ignored. His duty, as is ours, is to the constitution. He stood for those principles.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 13 at 2015 9:32 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:32:06 -0500

My biggest issue with Mr. Snowden is not the fact that he did it. I can actually appreciate that. My problem is that he ran. He ran from the consequences of his actions. He's a coward that is unwilling to actually stand up for what he believes in.

From a "technical" stand point I don't think he committed "treason." I think he committed Sedition. I think he violated his Non-disclosure agreement, and stole classified information which he had an obligation to safeguard and he ABSOLUTELY needs to be tried for that. It is up to the Courts to determine whether he should go to jail for that.

But he's too cowardly to do that.

He's too cowardly to use the the methods in place to actually "whistle blow" when he thinks the government is corrupt. He had multiple LEGAL avenues to bring this to the public's attention. However he chose not only an illegal way to do it, he ran from the consequences.

Did the American People have a Right to know this was going on? Probably. Did Snowden have the Authority to tell them. No. Not at all. And he should be punished for that.

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Feb 13 at 2015 9:33 AM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:33:25 -0500

I do believe that Mr. Snowden BELIEVED he was doing the right thing. I think he saw processes and procedures that he strongly disagreed with and couldn't support. Here's where he rolled off the tracks and down the embankment.

His actions reek of naivete and ignorance. Clearly, he has no idea how the world works, and his idealistic immaturity led him to make a set of horrible choices. He was wrong to violate his contract and - in no uncertain terms - commit treason.

In short, I agree with his STATED concern and disgust for what he saw the NSA doing. But there is NO WAY on this earth that I can condone in any manner the action that he took. He had alternatives. He chose poorly...

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2015 9:33 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 09:33:48 -0500

He had nothing to gain?
Sure, that is totally why he shopped his knowledge to the Chinese in Hong Kong and later settled down in Moscow.
I started a thread a while ago where I posited my theory that it is not a coincidence that the Russians got all uppity when they suddenly got access to Snowden. They have been reading our mail.

This SOB is no hero. He is a traitor, pure and simple. I hope he comes home soon. Maybe Chelsea Manning could be his roommate.

Response by MAJ Jim Steven made Feb 15 at 2015 6:33 PM

MAJ Jim Steven — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 18:33:50 -0500

Read some of the responses, not all...
Guys, what gives the government the right to read my emails or listen to my phone calls?
He woke America up!

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2015 5:33 PM

LCpl Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:33:48 -0500

I fully support Edward Snowden, he blew the whistle on some absolutely illegal programs being run by our own government, and revealed our own hypocrisy. We encourage and lionize whistle blowing and being an open society... till someone actually blows the whistle, then we hunt them down for revenge. Treason? It has a legal definition, and he doesn't meet it. Espionage? Maybe.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Feb 24 at 2015 5:48 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:48:17 -0500

There are ways to express your concern about not so legal things being done by covert agencies. Giving all of it to someone like Wikileaks is not the way to do it.