So the NYT editorial board finally came down on the side of Edward Snowden. Better late than never. The editorial is called, appropriately, "Edward Snowden: Whistle-Blower".
Considering the enormous value of the information he has revealed, and the abuses he has exposed, Mr. Snowden deserves better than a life of permanent exile, fear and flight. He may have committed a crime to do so, but he has done his country a great service. It is time for the United States to offer Mr. Snowden a plea bargain or some form of clemency that would allow him to return home, face at least substantially reduced punishment in light of his role as a whistle-blower, and have the hope of a life advocating for greater privacy and far stronger oversight of the runaway intelligence community.
Later in the editorial, they quote our president's hollow words:
“If the concern was that somehow this was the only way to get this information out to the public, I signed an executive order well before Mr. Snowden leaked this information that provided whistle-blower protection to the intelligence community for the first time,” Mr. Obama said at a news conference. “So there were other avenues available for somebody whose conscience was stirred and thought that they needed to question government actions."
In fact, that executive order did not apply to contractors, only to intelligence employees, rendering its protections useless to Mr. Snowden.
Nice of them to make that final catch. The president has been a monster to whistleblowers throughout his presidency. And his statement with regard to Snowden is an outright lie.
Maybe
2014 will be the year of Snowden's vindication in America. He is
already a hero to so many. This editorial gives me hope that the bravery
and loyalty of his actions will finally be recognized in his home
country.
Wouldn't that be nice?
