General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: You want "Nixonian"? This, right here, this is Nixonian, if Nixon had grown up in East Germany [View all]JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)The paranoia is in the administration that allows these kinds of programs to exist in a democratic government. Leaking is a part of democracy. Let it be.
People don't leak things if a) they really believe those things are vital to their own security and the security of the people they love (obviously, Snowden and Manning were disillusioned by what they witnessed in their work and did not believe the secrets they knew were vital to protect themselves and those they loved) b) they feel themselves to be respected in their workplace and they respect others in their workplace (we need to change the dynamics of the workplace so that all employees feel respected and understand which aspects of what they are doing should be kept secret and PRECISELY WHY THEY SHOULD BE KEPT SECRET). Clearly, Snowden and Manning were told to keep things secret that a) probably should not have been secret and b) they believed in their souls, in their consciences, should not have been secret.
Usually people will obey secrecy instructions. I think the reason that Manning and Snowden did not is that they felt that it was their patriotic duty to inform the American people of the unconstitutional and criminal activities to which they were privy. I trust them for those reasons. They were not betraying the country to which they owed the greatest allegiance. They were betraying a criminal cabal within the administration of the country they love.
I hope people understand this.