Why I am skeptical about Edward Snowden.

[HardTimes99]

67. Without defending Snowden's character or agreeing with your

characterization of him, I'd like to expand on my thoughts a little.

I can see this 'trust' issue cuts both ways now and your concern for the outsourcing of intel functions to the private sector is duly noted (and should be overwhelmingly commended and endorsed by this board). That said, when I use the phrase 'trust issue,' I'm referring to an even larger sense that the ordinary citizen can trust his or her government not to violate his or her privacy. For example, when I write that I think taxes should be raised on the top 1% of the population, I need to know that my words are not getting dumped into some secret repository to subsequently be used by a President Palin or Santorum to send me to the camps. If the government has probable cause to think I have committed an offense, fine, let them go before a judge and present their probable cause in specifics. But do not let the government know my location or to whom I speak. Not unless the government has probable cause to believe I have committed an offense snd a member of the judiciary agrees with the government that probable cause exists.

The alternative to this -- where government can collect your metadata even without the slightest indication that you have done anything wrong -- produces a 'chilling effect' upon free expression. I have already decided not to discuss electronically other than in the broadest general terms any counter measures I have taken or may take in the event I conclude the government is not respecting my privacy. And what if writing those words somehow flags some algorithm deep within the turgid bowels of the NSA? Must I now worry that my refusal to discuss my plans itself will be used as evidence against me? I think you can see where this trust issue leads and it's not a pretty sight.