Week 4 EOC: Edward Snowden

Did Edward Snowden commit a crime? He is innocent until proven guilty, but it seems almost certain that there are laws against disclosing classified information that he intentionally broke (meaning, he intentionally did the prohibited conduct, not that he knew what the law was, which is irrelevant, although working in this world, he must have known what was unlawful). So, yes, he committed a crime. I’m quite sure there was an offer put out there in order for him to take a job at the NSA that’s called an “Offer. All contracts begin when a person or a company proposes a deal. It might involve buying something, selling something, doing a job, or anything else. But only proposals made in certain ways amount to a legally recognized offer”. (Beatty 143) Then Edward Snowden accepted the offer and in that acceptance I’m sure that he was not suppose to leak information to the public in any form and with that said I’m sure some consideration was agreed upon. “Consideration. There has to be bargaining that leads to an exchange between the parties. Contracts cannot be a one-way street; both sides must receive some measureable benefit”. (Beatty 143) So now he’s working for the NSA and then around the spring of 2013 he leaked information of several top-secret United States and British government mass surveillance programs to the press at that point he didn’t execute his contract. “Executed contract an agreement in which all parties have fulfilled their obligations”. (Beatty 145) The stand that I take on this whole situation is he didn't die a hero, so he lived long enough to see himself become a villain. Snowden’s initial intentions were honorable. A country that regards democracy as a human right had violated the civil liberties of its own citizens without public knowledge or consent but I still feel that he’s guilty.