1) So there's no law that could ever be made, that would cause you to avoid punishment if you broke it?
If I knowingly broke the law, I would put myself into the justice system for it. For example, if I saw a man abusing a child, I would beat him within an inch of his life...maybe a woman too. I would willingly stand trial for it. I would try to win, obviously, but I would not run away from what I felt was the right thing to do.
2) Our founding fathers were politicians and leaders, with power and people. One man should try to take on the government, and he's a coward if he doesn't martyr himself?
You're completely changing your own example, mostly because you saw how foolish it was to offer it in the first place. It was your words, not mine.
And he's a coward because he ran, rather than stand up for what he believes.
3) Letting himself get locked in a box for years without trial wouldn't have futhered his cause.
Nor would it have happened. With the media surrounding his story, there's no way that could happen.
How is avoiding the government while still releasing information not standing for your convictions? He's still resisting them.
No, he's running from them. Big difference.
4) No, you wouldn't, because your trial would be top secret and nobody would ever hear a word from you.
False. There's no way that would happen. In fact, Snowden has put himself in greater danger of that happening since he ran. Snowden could have walked into an attorney's office, maybe invite the media, gave his statement, and the government would not have been able to do anything to violate his rights. He was an American citizen on American soil who was not engaging in hostile action against the country. The US Government would have thrown everything into his trial, but he still would have had his day in court.
Ridiculous. When it is reasonable to expect that the result of your whistle blowing is to be quickly shuffled off and never heard from for years you don't stay and "face the music." Being more concerned with some manufactured notion of bravery over the revelation of the NSA's operation is adolescent at best.
Perhaps, but it still makes him a coward. *shrug*
This would only be true in a situation where the "authorities" are actually fair. It isn't cowardice to not submit yourself to a corrupt justice system. It's smart.
There would be very few men who would ever get a trial more fair than Edward Snowden. The media circus/investigations would demand it.
The problem here that so many of you are having is you think the government is a single entity, a big boogeyman living in front of our eyes. It's not. Our government is thousands of people, with their own power hungry agendas. It is people who need votes or who need the support of those who need votes. There are most certainly shadowy figures in government, but with the publicity this had, the spotlight would be far too bright for those shadows.
The fact is Edward Snowden ran because he didn't want to go to jail. He wanted the glory of exposing the government, without paying the price which came attached with it. While the ignorant Americans should be thankful to Snowden for bringing to light something they should have known years ago, it doesn't change the fact he was a coward for running, nor does it change the fact he is now in much greater danger than he would be if he had simply found a good lawyer and made his statements there.
