Edward Snowden

...

(L:103-113 P:2 T:2“The American government, and its democracy, are flawed institutions. But our system offers legal options to disgruntled government employees and contractors. They can take advantage of federal whistle-blower laws; they can bring their complaints to Congress; they can try to protest within the institutions where they work. But Snowden did none of this. Instead, in an act that speaks more to his ego than his conscience,”

Taking your starting point in text 3, discuss whether Edward Snowden has done the public a favour.

The text describes Edward Snowden’s actions as a favor to the citizens by using the argument, that the citizens should be thankful for receiving knowledge of the government use of power.

(L:12-16 p: 1 t:3) “We wouldn’t know that the NSA is keeping a database of all our phone calls. We wouldn’t know that the government gets the authority to keep track of our private communications.”

But is that knowledge really necessary for US citizens? Isn’t it safer to hide this knowledge, so threats as terrorist’s wouldn’t be aware of the goverment overhearing their communication. And any time the government gives impressions of weakness like the one Snowden caused could be seen as a great sign for the terrorists to attack with the biggest impact. (L:36-41 p:1/2 t:1)“The president outlined last week that these were important national security programs to help keep Americans safe, and give us tools to fight the terrorist threat that we face,” Boehner said.” That the society future may be uneasy now because of Snowden text 2 points out (L:111-116 p: 2 t:2) “But Snowden did none of this. Instead, in an act that speaks more to his ego than his conscience, he threw the secrets he knew up in the air – and trusted, somehow, that good would come of it“ Text 2 makes it sound like Snowden’s wasn’t about doing a favor for the citizens, but about his ego, but I doubt it. Having to move to China to avoid prison, and never go back to a normal life seems doubtfully as too extreme sacrifice just because of ones ego, which makes the accuse of Snowden not believing, he was doing the right thing for the society as unrealistic. And maybe it was the right thing to do of Snowden, because of our precious privacy and our ignorance about the government (L:51-63 p:2 t:1)“The government does not need to know more about what we are doing. We need to know more about what the government is doing.” “We should be thankful for individuals like Edward Snowden and Glenn Greenwald who see injustice being carried out by their own government and speak out, despite the risk. They have done a great service to the American people by exposing the truth about what our government is doing in secret.” Even though it may be more dangerous world to live in with this knowledge in everybody’s hands, it may be best that the citizens know about something that involves them to such an extent.