I Am Beyond Sick/Tired Of Being Called An "Authoritarian NSA Apologist".

[gtar100]

89. It seems that the two sides here are really on the same side.

The information about the NSA that has been leaked is of extreme importance in and of itself. The motives behind who is leaking this is also extremely important. Keeping the two issues distinct seems to be prudent. We don't all have to focus on the same thing. If you are motivated to look into the reasons behind the leak, awesome! If the information that was leaked is paramount to you, equally awesome! People like me who don't have the time or mindfulness to dig deeply depend on those who do to provide us the big picture. Your reputation in the community will give weight to your arguments. That's kind of what a community is about - we can't all be experts at everything so we have appointed representatives to focus on specifics (i.e., plumber, carpenter, electrician, traffic engineer, Mandarin translator at the UN, foreign affairs advisor to Zimbabwe, etc., etc., etc.).

You don't have to wholeheartedly embrace Snowden, Greenwald, or Asange to appreciate what they have brought to light. And just because they released information that has exposed wrong-doing doesn't mean their motives are pure or their ideology is worth a damn. Heck, it's even likely that others not related to these three are attempting to piggyback on this issue to use it against Obama and the Democrats...imagine that! Republican modus operandi.