Some have hailed Snowden a “hero” and a true American
patriot. Snowden has stated he felt it
was his duty to “inform the public as to that which is done in their name and
that which is done against them.” Many
feel these surveillance programs are unlawful and interfere with an individuals’
right to privacy.
Other feels Snowden is an American traitor. His actions have resulted in the most
significant NSA security breech in U.S. history. Multiple countries, under pressure from the
U.S. government refused to grant Snowden political asylum, including Spain,
France and Italy. A poll conducted by
USA today and Pew Research found 49% of Americans thought Snowden’s actions
served the public interest, while 44% thought his actions harmed the U.S.
government.
So, my question to you this week is, “Do you think
Snowden’s actions represent those of an American hero or an American
traitor? Do you support surveillance of
citizens’ phone records, if it means making the country more secure from
terrorists?” Answers are due no later
than Sunday, August1 8th, 2013.
I honestly am not bothered by any of this. I've got nothing to hide so why worry? I feel like this issue has been brought up forever ago too. It just now seems like its big news but I remember after 9/11 especially people were saying phone calls and text messages are monitored. None of this really phases me.
ReplyDeleteI think it is okay to have the government collect data from our phones. I just hope that it is used for the right reasons, which is to keep us safe. Snowden should not have done things behind our backs though.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not feel bothered by any of the surveillance whatsoever. If this news wouldn't have come out, we would not even know. The government has probably been doing this for a while, and if it is done to benefit us why would anyone have an issue with that. As far as Snowden i feel that in the eyes of the gov't he will always be a traitor.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Snowden's action represents an american traitor because he leaked information about things that he wasn't suppose to. I think our phone records should be private and not have other people see who we talk to.
ReplyDeleteI believe Snowden should spend life in prison for leaking information. The U.S. government has been spying for years now because of Snowden. A lot of Americans are outraged because of it. I'm fine with "Big Brother" doing surveillance on me, I have nothing to hide. I believe that surveillance protects us from terrorists- maybe not as much as the NASA says but a little is okay with me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I feel Snowden was a traitor. If he felt the NSA was exceeding the mandate of the congress, he could have always turned whistleblower and approached congress. If he in principle did not agree with what was going on, he could have resigned and then shared his views in the public forum.
ReplyDeleteIn today’s world privacy is a privilege. On one hand, we want to be secure and on the other we want to be politically correct.
I really don’t care about the surveillance of citizen’s phone calls, because being safe is a bigger priority for me and if I have done nothing wrong, I have nothing to fear.
I think that most people suspected that the government monitored us before the Snowden leak. I know that I have nothing to hide, but I still would rather have my freedom of privacy. The fact that speaking your mind could now be held against you is scary. It makes me wonder what the government will do next, and if we'll still have the same rights 10 years from now. I know that they are doing this to try and keep us safe, but I feel like there are better ways to do it.
ReplyDeleteI'm 50/50 about Snowden. I like that he did what he thought was right, even though he knew it would ruin his life. I agree with Priyanka in that he should have gone to congress about it. He did break the law by releasing that information, and should be punished for it.
Kelly G.
We all know the term "big brother is watching". Basically we know that the government spies on us and they are probably reading this as well. So it's not a big deal that he leaked, we already knew he just confirmed it.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't necessarily call Snowden an hero or a traitor. Exposing the government spying on Americans should not surprise us. I think a lot of people already suspect that the government does some shady things. Snowden just gave confirmation. As far as him being a traitor, I wouldn't go that far. He just disobeyed orders. I don't see where he threaten national security by his actions.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm totally on the fence with this one. While I see the need to monitor certain things given the recent events of terrorist attacks, there is an urgent need to keep our country safe. On the other hand, I'm not sure my phone conversations with my mom or boyfriend really warrant a need for such in depth investigation. I get it they can't be too laxed and can't really pick and choose who they watch but...why not? I guess that would pose a question as to how would they select who to eaves drop on and who to ignore. Bottom line is if you aren't doing anything wrong, you shouldn't have a problem. As for Snowden,he's a complete traitor. What he did was tattle telling and then he ran away to avoid his proper punishment. While I don't totally agree with what the government is doing, their reasons are invalid. Snowden basically made us all vulnerable to more attacks giving other nations who might to harm us a definate way to do so. He exposed our secrets. As an American, I'd rather be safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteI do argee with him beening a American hero. No, it's not right to invade someone's privacy. But they are using phones and the internet to communicat. So yes, I do support what they are do.
ReplyDeleteWell, like everyone has already said, he pretty much just confirmed what we already knew. The only thing he did wrong was go against orders. I think that it is somewhat important for the NSA to monitor these sort of things.
ReplyDeleteI Honestly don't feel bothered at all. Everything else we do is monitored for ex. our searches on the internet. I feel that if we are not monitored than something is bound to happen and we will be unaware. Its not like they are monitoring are personal lives which they are seeking important information that would be critical to the United States Safety. We as a Americans have many privileges that other countries do not have, we should be more thankful that are country is generally a safe place to live.
ReplyDeleteSnowden should not have leaked the information. It was a malicious thing to do. As far as surveillance on phone records goes, I'm not really sure how to feel about it. I support it as long as they do it for the right reasons I guess.
ReplyDeleteAs much as he is concerned about our privacy, he might've put 2 entire countries in danger. Information is power and by releasing all that information to other countries put as at risk. The man is an stupid beyond belief. If he cared so much for the public's welfare and privacy he wouldn't do something worse and put his countrymen in risk.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Snowden's action represents someone that's untrustworthy. He leaked information about things that he shouldn't. I think it kinda goes back to your morals when you learn to keep a secret for a reason. I think our phone records should be private after a certain age. I feel like if we pay the bill it's no one else responsibility to check up and listen on it.
ReplyDeleteI've always found it sadly humorous when little privacy dust ups like this occur. In a world where something you post on facebook, twitter, et al. as a teenager can cost you a job 5 or 10 or 20 years later, is the idea that intelligence agencies knows who you call on your phone really a surprise to anyone? Communication has never really been something private, aside from physically talking all communication takes place across countless intermediaries, any one of which could be recording, parsing, sifting and otherwise examining every call, message, text etc.
ReplyDeleteAll that said, I do think he is a hero. I am concerned about the potential misuse of the information they were collecting, but I also understand that intelligence agencies need information like this.
To my mind, this is the system working, we need to embrace whistle-blowers because as long as there is someone with the courage to call out the government when it over steps its bounds, then we will always be free, after all, freedom may be an inalienable right in this country, but it will only stay that way if we vigorously defend it.
My biggest issue isn't that the government was collecting this information, my biggest complaint is with the reasoning of doing this is "making the country more secure from terrorists?" because that is such a fictional, misleading and hyperbolic justification that gets tossed around way too much. It's been 12 years since 9/11 and we're still being cowed by that shadowy spectre, meanwhile the hundreds of bank executives that brought this country to its knees doubled their money and just keep right one ruining the economy, and no one seems interested in checking *their* phone records. Those sociopathic executives are the real terrorists we should be worried about, they brought this country to its knees far better than al-qaeda could have ever dreamed of.
I'm conflicted. On one hand, I feel like the country had a right to know that our privacy wasn't as private as we had thought. On the other hand, he breached security and broke laws in order to reveal the truth. So, I'm not really sure if I would call him a hero or a traitor. I guess he's kind of both.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't shocked that this was happening so I wasn't really angered by it at all. I suspected the government was doing this anyway. If this phone call monitoring is being used to help with the protection against terrorism then I am all for it to keep the United States safe.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the whole issue does not pertain to me. Like many have said, and I have said to other people about this topic, I have nothing to hide. And if this "spying" can prevent things from happening, I'm fine with it. You'd be silly not to.
ReplyDelete