Jochen -
I don't know the exact reason, but it starts to frighten me. Creepy.
Maybe Snowden was right after all.
I assume you meant that sarcastically... I don't think anyone has ever
suggested Snowden's disclosures were not reflecting the facts
accurately... Which makes it all the more poignant I think! The
attempts to discredit him have been entirely about his motives and
character, not about the actual veracity of his claims (to my knowledge)...
While I agree with most if not all of the sentiment you express about
the circumstance and particularly appreciate the first-hand recent
experience the German people have (as you described), I think you are
likely to be suffering from confirmation bias... any anomalies in
e-mail service are likely to (appear) to point to whatever you are most
focused on (hope or fear) at the moment.
I don't think the question is if Snowden is a "Traitor" or a "Hero",
because I think it is natural that he will be seen as both, and by some
measures has some of both in him. When he conspired to and then acted
to disclose what he did, he risked causing grave harm. I don't believe
he could know for sure the actual impact of his disclosures, though I
believe he was very careful to minimize the risk. He also accepted much
of the risk to himself by making the disclosure without veil of anonymity.
I think we (the US) are going to have to be universally mistrusted
(could it get worse than the Nixon, the Reagan-Bush and the Bush Cheney
years?) yet more before something gives. The fact that this is
happening under the president so many of us put so much hope in, is
significant. I think it says a lot less about Obama the man than it
does about the Office of the President and the culture of our government
and I fear, our citezenry.
It is acutely interesting to me to hear your point of view as a
European, but as you point out, more importantly as a German with your
near-recent experience with much more overtly invasive and unworthy
governing. I wouldn't trade for that, but I don't want to claim that
hidden abuses are qualitatively better than the exposed ones.
- Steve
I wonder if this e-mail will make it to your server <grin>?
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