White House spokeswoman and Presidential Advisor on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco issued a response to the petition that Edward Snowden receive immunity from any laws he may have broken and be allowed to return to the USA as a free man. Her statement reasserted the Administration's position that Snowden is a criminal, running away from the consequences of his actions and should return to the USA to stand trial (and inevitably serve out the rest of his life in solitary confinement).
The full text of the response:
Thanks for signing a petition about Edward Snowden. This is an issue that many Americans feel strongly about. Because his actions have had serious consequences for our national security, we took this matter to Lisa Monaco, the President's Advisor on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. Here's what she had to say:
Since taking office, President Obama has worked with Congress to secure appropriate reforms that balance the protection of civil liberties with the ability of national security professionals to secure information vital to keep Americans safe.
As the President said in announcing recent intelligence reforms, "We have to make some important decisions about how to protect ourselves and sustain our leadership in the world, while upholding the civil liberties and privacy protections that our ideals and our Constitution require."
Instead of constructively addressing these issues, Mr. Snowden's dangerous decision to steal and disclose classified information had severe consequences for the security of our country and the people who work day in and day out to protect it.
If he felt his actions were consistent with civil disobedience, then he should do what those who have taken issue with their own government do: Challenge it, speak out, engage in a constructive act of protest, and -- importantly -- accept the consequences of his actions. He should come home to the United States, and be judged by a jury of his peers -- not hide behind the cover of an authoritarian regime. Right now, he's running away from the consequences of his actions.
We live in a dangerous world. We continue to face grave security threats like terrorism, cyber-attacks, and nuclear proliferation that our intelligence community must have all the lawful tools it needs to address. The balance between our security and the civil liberties that our ideals and our Constitution require deserves robust debate and those who are willing to engage in it here at home.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 29 2015, @04:05PM
Ah Lordy-Lordy and Hallelujah! For you walk on the RIGHT and TRUE path!! Let us eliminate the INFIDELS who think otherwise!!!
I'm with you brother! For ours is the ONE and ONLY way! For WE know what is right.
Let's meet at the Creationism Museum. When we're done, maybe we can go "take care" of some of them abortion doctors too. Fuck those who say there are shades of grey for we know it is a black-and-white world. Fuck those 200-plus years of Constitutional Law, for WE KNOW THE LAW. We'll shit on "Joe Sixpack" when it comes to computers, but we'll fucking loudly and proudly proclaim our "Joe Sixpack" knowledge of law and jurisprudence.
Yeah, there's no fucking echo chamber and mod abuse going on here. Shouting down contrary opinions is the main argumentative step of the self-righteous asshole.
Also, your "ends justify the means" mob attitude is a little frightening as well. Why are you against drone attacks that take out terrorist leaders? Doesn't that justify the collateral damage of civilian deaths just like how all that foreign intel Snowden dumped is just collateral damage to the domestic spying stuff? It couldn't be related to YOUR means vs other people's means could it?