EDWARD SNOWDEN; HERO, CRIMINAL, PATRIOT OR TERRORIST?

In light of recent events I have emailed the oxford dictionary in order to make a few changes to their next edition.

It reads:

“Dear Mr Oxford,

                           In light of recent world news I believe it to be appropriate to make a few changes to some definitions. I have attached some recommended updates below.

Hero:     1) a person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.

               2) Edward Snowden

Patriot: 1) a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.  

              2) Edward Snowden

Scumbag: 1) a contemptible or objectionable person.

                  2) Richard Murdoch

Hope you will consider this and it will be of some assistance.

                          Regards,

                                    Mitch op’t Hoog

P.S love your work”

While my humorous letter might be a slight exaggeration, there is no denying it has some merit. Edward Snowden is a true hero, yet thanks to government running and manipulating the media you may be lead to believe that Edward Snowden is a criminal and a terrorist, who has plans to communicate with Russia and china in an attempt to ‘take down’ the United States. This could not be further from truth, Edward Snowden is not a terrorist and he is not a criminal by any stretch of the imagination, Edward Snowden is a patriotic (ex) U.S citizen and a Hero in every sense of the word, and a modest one at that.

 “I don't see myself as a hero because what I'm doing is self-interested: I don't want to live in a world where there's no privacy and therefore no room for intellectual exploration and creativity.” (Snowden, 2013)

Now while Snowden claims his actions are in “self-interest” he is merely being modest and polite, as not only has he put his own life at risk, his actions (whether he has intended them to or not) have the ability to change the world and the direction in which the world is developing. Freedom of speech, thought and to privacy are things that have taken a long time to establish in western society and for the U.S government to invade privacy and violate these rights is a step in the wrong direction towards the unionisation of the world .

By blowing the whistle on the U.S government Snowden has put society back on track and done one the most patriotic and heroic acts ever witnessed. To label Snowden as a criminal or a terrorist for his act of ‘whistleblowing’ is plain and simple blaming the victim, which in any culture or society does not make sense. The only guilty party in the Snowden government situation is the government, their morals and ethics are very questionable...Snowden's most certainly are not.

Whether you believe Snowden is a Hero or a crook, there is no denying that his reason's behind whistle blowing are for the greater good of society. While he may be seen as a villain for turning on his own government, it was the government who first turned on him and the rest of the American populace. Snowden's courage and bravery are not traits of a terrorist or a criminal, but a man who would put his life on the line for a better world; a patriotic hero.