Snowden: Hero or Traitor?

Some consider Edward Snowden

A hero; some a traitor.

Some feel that he loves his country;

Some call him a hater.

 

Let's admit: One thing he did

Was open up our eyes

To infringements of our rights to privacy,

To intrusions and to lies.

 

Our rights are being redefined

In ways that circumvent

The Constitution, Snowden says,

And without the people's consent.

 

Snowden feels that the government must

Justify any intrusion

Into our rights. Otherwise,

Our liberty's merely an illusion.

 

If we say, "I've got nothing to hide,"

He equates that to our saying,

"MY rights do not matter,"

And it's hopelessness that we're conveying.

 

Has any REAL damage been caused

By Snowden's revelation

Of NSA surveillance tactics

That justifies criminalization?

 

He asks: Is the government punishing dissent--

Which it has done before--

Or pursuing an actual threat to the nation?

That's something we have to explore.

 

Or could it be that the NSA

Is feeling so distraught,

NOT because Snowden's a threat,

But merely because it got caught?

 

Meanwhile, Snowden's in exile in Russia--

Not his place of choice--

Hoping that policies protecting our rights

Could give him cause to rejoice.

 

(11-11-14)