Is Edward Snowden a Hero or Traitor? Research Paper

Criminal Justice

Edward Snowden

Is Edward Snowden a hero or traitor?

Is Edward Snowden a hero or traitor?

Edward Snowden used to work as an intelligence contractor. Lately he leaked information about some security projects. The leaked information is about secret program carried out by NASA and is a massive surveillance program. Snowden believes that the tax money of people of America is a liability on government and government institutions and hence they have the right to know how and where their money is being used. On the other hand, the president of United States calls those files classified, hence Snowden is charged with accused of being a traitor. The public, on the other hands calls him a hero and it is raising voices for Snowden who escaped to Hong Kong.

Goldman (2013) says that Snowden was a whistle-blower before his "promotion" to either hero or the traitor's role. He has been leaking information on secret domestic data mining programs earlier but NASA became the victim only lately.It is believed by other whistle blowers, like David who leaked files regarding Vietnam War that the cost of telling the truth is to be called a traitor. The government does not want its people to know the truth hence it hunts and punishes those wanting to expose the truth.

Snowden is the hero of American people but the villain for the government. The government wants to be the sole caretaker of public's money without their complete knowledge of where their money is being spent. The government protects only those whistle-blowers that are government employees working for nation's secrets (Goldman, 2013). The government's definition of whistle blower does not only base on the principles of ethics and law but also on whom the whistle blower is working for. Hence, though a hero for the people of America, the government calls him the traitor and is looking for him to catch and put him to trial.

It is believed by Rampson (2013) that Snowden can be….....