Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by mark_l_watson 4729 days ago
Except, Snowden obviously didn't do this for personal gain. His life is probably over.

Compare this situation to a British citizen a few years ago who sold sensitive state secrets for money, and got the MAXIMUM PENALTY by UK law: 2 years in prison. Snowden who rightly or wrongly is acting from I believe are his own moral goals, may get the death penalty, tortured like Manning, or life in prison.

"desperately wanted fugitive"? I am curious about you, and why you use a phrase like this. Seriously, please explain your position on this.
3 comments
eli 4729 days ago
Maybe the French don't care what his motives were? I think I'd be generally disinclined to support people who publish state secrets if I were running a government.

But I'm not sure why you're confused. You disagree that he is a wanted fugitive? Or with my characterization that he's "desperately" wanted? I think the US would very much like him to return and face charges.

link
mark_l_watson 4729 days ago
Reply to Eli's child post, for some reason there is no reply link under his comment:

I am confused by responses such as yours that only consider Snowden and not the public release of information about the NSA. I don't argue that Snowden should not get a year in jail after a fair trial. I personally think he has done the world a service and should get a walk, but a minimal jail sentence would be fair.

The NSA leaks are a big deal, and I believe an opportunity for our country to get its act together. Anyway, thanks for your comment.

So, I assume that you don't agree that our government would coerce foreign politicians. I wish that I could agree with you, but I can't.

link
lttlrck 4729 days ago
How does the lack of personal gain justify anything?
link
mark_l_watson 4729 days ago
To me, that Snowden has basically sacrificed his life to release information that he thought the public should know is key to whether or not he is a whistleblower,and thus deserve some form of protection. If you are agree with the Patriot Act and what the NSA is doing, then I respect your opinion but I don't agree with you.
link
kaonashi 4729 days ago
How does the presence of personal gain impugn anything?
link