We always think that patriotism is all about saving your country’s ass and stuff like that, but when you see that the rulers of your country are misusing their power would you rather stay quiet or rise your voice. Yeah we would rise our voice. Well it’s easier said than done. There will always be repercussions, even life threatening ones.
Here’s the story of one such person, who always gave it all to his country but in the process found out that his country is not exactly doing the right stuff.
Ed Snowden leaked highly classified information in 2013 when he was a Central Intelligence Agency employee and subcontractor. His disclosures revealed numerous global surveillance programs, many run by the NSA with the cooperation of telecommunication companies and European governments. The exact size of his disclosure is unknown, but the Washington Post reported on a cache previously provided by Snowden from domestic NSA operations consisting of roughly 160,000 intercepted e-mail and messaging conversations. The leaks included reports on mass surveillance apparatus run by the NSA such as the program PRISM, which allows court-approved direct access to Americans’ Google and Yahoo accounts, NSA call database and of a secret court order requiring Verizon to hand the NSA millions of daily phone records and surveillance of internet records.
One of the most controversial statements of Snowden states “I, sitting at my desk could wiretap anyone, from you to your accountant, to a federal judge or even the president, if I had the personal email.”
He was seeking asylum in Nicaragua, Ecuador and Venezuela. When the US Government pressurised the officials of the countries, he applied for asylum in Russia and got it granted.
Ed Snowden 