Hacker News Reader

Comment by ripb | Hacker News Reader

I don't know whether I find it astonishing or a bleak reminder of reality that what has come from Snowden's leaks has mostly either fallen on deaf ears, or met harsh resistance in deeming him a "traitor" for what he has done.

When you couple the most powerful military in the world with a system of absolute un-accountability - as we're seeing with officials lying to congress to no redress - there is certainly a massive issue not just for Americans but for the entire world.

But then, one must ask, how much of it is acceptance undermined by a sheer feeling of dis-empowerment? It's easier to pretend everything is right, and that Snowden is a traitor, than trying to tackle the issues highlighted through the means we're given.

View on HN

It bewilders me, that when somebody says the truth, he is called a traitor; but when somebody lies, he is called a patriot.

Reminds me of 1984, where lies are called truth and truths are called lies.

It's utterly amazing what nationalism can cause people to do and say in the face of criticism.

It's also very disappointing that, for quite some time, Snowden was labeled a "traitor". Even now, although the polls are showing that the majority of Americans surveyed state he is a whistleblower and not a traitor, that what he did was bad for, or an action against, America.

If what Snowden has said is true regarding the level of access he had when working in the CIA, then it is absolute proof, if any more is ever needed, that his actions were taken in the interest of the public and not himself, and especially not against America.

It's likewise very disappointing how little has come about as a result of what was shown by his leaks through the Guardian.

edward snowden did some heroic things, and one of the most important ways we can celebrate and extend the work that he has started is by working for justice.

choosing to give up your agency to do something about these problems is one of the reasons they persist. people think we can't do anything about all of the bad things we see in the world, but we really can.

courage is contagious.

A related quote attributed to Orwell: "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act"

Reply on news.ycombinator.com