10-20-2016, 11:03 AM
(10-20-2016, 09:20 AM)xxlt Wrote: So, can you just clarify your personal take on Snowden a bit? Are you saying you are OK with him exposing illegal government activities when they violate the rights of U.S. citizens, but not when they violate the rights of foreign countries? Or are you saying you that you don't want your government doing illegal things but you also oppose anyone who exposes the government; when the government is ready to admit transgressions it will do so? Or are you saying you are OK with a government that does whatever if wants, the rights of U.S. citizens and foreigners be damned?
I appreciate Matt's very adroit response but I'll add mine as well since I was directly addressed. You asked a lot of questions so I'll simply state my opinion. As a person working for the US government you can claim whistle blower status for exposing possible unconstitutional, in this instance surveillance, activities against US citizens. You cannot claim the same status when exposing the same types of activities against foreign nations for a very simple reason, the Constitution does not protect people outside of the United States who are not citizens. What kind of government would we have if every government worker felt they had the discretion to expose whatever they personally felt was their moral duty to expose? How about the guy working on a top secret weapons project that he felt would give the US an "unfair" advantage over Russia or China? Using Snowden's logic that would be equally acceptable.
Unless the behavior being reported is so against human decency, e.g exposing the population of Congo to radiation to observe the effects, you do not have the right to expose US government activity to a foreign nation and then claim whistle blower status.
