Ed Snowden: Leakers “should be shot in the balls,” and "cut this Social Security bullshit"

[ljm2002]

152. I will say, in all fairness...

...that the Snowden saga is compelling theater in its own right. I get the fascination with it, and am myself fascinated and wanting to know where he is today etc.

But you are right, those who oppose his actions have used this interest to try and make it all about him. Worse, they have attempted to smear Glenn Greenwald and accuse him of illegal activity in pursuing his role as an investigative journalist. It's one thing when random people on the Internet make such accusations; seeing "real" "journalists" make the same insinuations in public is literally sickening to me.

Also it was clear from the get-go that he most probably had libertarian leanings, so this chat stuff, while indeed juicy, hardly changes the story, except possibly for those few who made him an object of hero worship. I am willing also to admit there are some (not on DU, I don't think) who support him precisely because he is poking his finger into the eye of the Obama administration. But again, so what? The issue is what it is, his motivations are immaterial to the merits of it.

So I'd agree with you: we are interested in the drama, just as those who take the opposite position on the matter. The difference is, we also try to focus on the issues he has raised. But from the other side, regarding the issues, we hear crickets -- or as you note, whistling past the graveyard.