Eric Holder -Justice Dept Could Strike Deal with Edward Snowden

[Antonio the Sixth]

Why should he be punished at all if what he did was right?

If anything he should be praised. We need more people to be willing to speak out.

Chelsea Manning took her punishment. That is the point of martyrdom-that the victim suffer for the greater good.

What kind of logic is that? You want people who did nothing wrong to be unjustly punished just so that they can then claim to be martyrs? Isn't the world better if we don't actively try to create martyrs?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Why should he be punished at all if what he did was right?

If anything he should be praised. We need more people to be willing to speak out.

Chelsea Manning took her punishment. That is the point of martyrdom-that the victim suffer for the greater good.

What kind of logic is that? You want people who did nothing wrong to be unjustly punished just so that they can then claim to be martyrs? Isn't the world better if we don't actively try to create martyrs?

He did break a law. You can't pick and choose what laws to follow, whether they are right or wrong. Should I not buy health insurance because I oppose Obamacare?

If a law is morally wrong and some people are being prosecuted and jailed under it, the law in question should be immediately repealed and the people pardoned. I don't support making individual exceptions, but I fully support fixing what's broken.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Why should he be punished at all if what he did was right?

If anything he should be praised. We need more people to be willing to speak out.

Chelsea Manning took her punishment. That is the point of martyrdom-that the victim suffer for the greater good.

What kind of logic is that? You want people who did nothing wrong to be unjustly punished just so that they can then claim to be martyrs? Isn't the world better if we don't actively try to create martyrs?

He did break a law. You can't pick and choose what laws to follow, whether they are right or wrong. Should I not buy health insurance because I oppose Obamacare?

If a law is morally wrong and some people are being prosecuted and jailed under it, the law in question should be immediately repealed and the people pardoned. I don't support making individual exceptions, but I fully support fixing what's broken.

It should be immediately repealed and Snowden should eventually pardoned, but neither are going to happen. If Snowden returns to the United States, he should face charges and take his medicine like a man. If he stays in Russia, he can wait it out and eventually be pardoned. But until the law is repealed, they are still in effect.

I agree that would be symbolically the best thing to do, but honestly, if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want to rot in jail for breaking an immoral law. I would feel horrible about becoming Putin's puppet, but I would still swallow my pride to retain some freedom. Not everyone can be a hero.