The Snowden snow-job

There was a very wise man once who remarked that "by their fruits you shall know them". He was, I'll admit, a bit of a rebel, perhaps a downright troublemaker, but I like to think of him as a courageous individual who was willing to not only call 'em as he saw 'em, but was right about most of what he saw.

Talk's cheap. We all know that, and some folks make a career out of cheap talk. Lawyers spring to mind, but, as is too often the case, politicians elbow their way to the front of the line. And while the vast majority of Americans, for example, have little, if any faith, in their elected officials, and even though an increasing number wail and moan about too much government, too many of these people are willing to accept the assertion that Edward Snowden is not only a criminal, he's a traitor. It's easy to say, but it's difficult to prove. Of course, a lot of us are wondering if it will ever come to that ... proving it, that is. After all, like with Bradley Manning, he was guilty upon arrest, the conviction was merely to legitimize it all after the fact.

Like Manning, Snowden, released classified information to the public. There's no question about that; like Manning, he's admitted to it. Like Manning, he believed that he could no longer be apart of that nefarious apparatus that was doing the collection. He felt "the people" had the right to know. Unlike Manning who exposed the war crimes of the American government, Snowden exposed the civilian crimes that same government was committing: the unwarranted, whole-scale collection of data and meta-data of communications by its enemies, sure, but also its friends and its own people.

What surprises me more than anything else, like in the Manning case, is the silence. There should be outrage. Snowden did us a favor, whether we like it or not. He confirmed the suspicion that so many of us have had for so long: our own government thinks no more of its own people, no more of its allies, no more of its supporters than it does of its enemies. That is paranoia writ large. That is possibly schizophrenia. It is a strong indication that America is sick. Very, very sick.

But, Americans take it. They've pulled in their heads into their little turtle shells and will continue to believe, to tell themselves, how great, noble, and honorable their country is, how proud they are to be Americans, lying to themselves and showing the world that what once may have been great is now decrepit, what once may have been noble is now deceiving, what once may have been honorable is now treacherous.

America no longer leads by example, unless hypocrisy is worth emulating. The self-proclaimed "land of the free and home of the brave" has become its own prison led by violently inclined cowards who know no more reason, only force (any country refusing to extradite Snowden will be punished). By what right? Since when does might make right?

It's a sad day, not only, but especially for America. By their fruits you shall know them.