A way to feel good. About America.

Edward Snowden. I’m on his side. In efforts to avoid arrest by the U.S. government. For espionage. For leaking information about U.S. surveillance. On its citizens. In my mind, Snowden is a hero. Doing the right thing. Making secrets less secret. I want to live in an open society that abhors the keeping of secrets. Maybe that poses a contradiction. Because government surveillance is intended to collect information. About people. Stuff that might otherwise be private. But when government collects, it’s spying. Maybe for the wrong reasons. We the people have a right to know when we are being spied upon. By the government. Or by anyone. I’m not necessarily against spying. But I want full disclosure. That it’s being done. And for what purpose. I’m making an assumption. That there’s more harm in knowing too little than in knowing too much. When working as a journalist, I abhorred liars. And people who kept secrets. Unnecessarily.  Anyway, seems to me that Snowden is being cast by government as an enemy of the government. Could be. That he's the foe of clandestine government. Which makes him a friend of the people/society. Chances are, Snowden will be put on trial some day. By a misguided and vindictive government. But I have faith in the American jury system. Snowden will be acquitted. By his peers. And over the course of history, he’ll be judged a patriot. A hero. Indeed, that would make me feel good. About America. –Jim Broede