Snowden did us all a big favor

In a recent edition, CIA Director Mike Pompeo was quoted as having referred to “... the worship of Edward Snowden ...” by unspecified people who endorse Snowden’s disclosure of secret electronic surveillance of American citizens by our very own federal government.

I do not worship Ed Snowden as Pompeo suggests, but I certainly do appreciate Snowden’s having opened our eyes wide to such secret surveillance, as authorized by the equally secret (and some would say rubber-stamping) federal intelligence court.

For his trouble, Snowden now resides involuntarily in, of all places, Russia, far outside the reach of federal authorities, until said authorities recognize and accept (grudgingly, very grudgingly) that Snowden, for the best of reasons, did all of us Americans a very big favor.

This story was originally published July 5, 2017 at 11:49 AM with the headline "Snowden did us all a big favor."