General Discussion

Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Tue Oct 22, 2013, 02:33 PM Oct 2013

Richard Cohen's Reverse On Snowden: Not A 'Traitor', But A Whistleblower

Besotted fans of the regularly published Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen will know that he has reversed himself on whether Edward Snowden, the source of leaks about NSA surveillance activity in the United States and abroad, is a traitor.

In June, Cohen wrote that Snowden would go down in history not as a whistleblower but "as a cross-dressing Little Red Riding Hood" who is "ridiculously cinematic" and "narcissistic".

On Monday, Cohen retracted that view (although without returning specifically to the Little Red Riding Hood insight):

As time has proved, my judgments were just plain wrong. Whatever Snowden is, he is curiously modest and has bent over backward to ensure that the information he has divulged has done as little damage as possible. As a "traitor", he lacks the requisite intent and menace […]

I am sure, though, that he has instigated a worthwhile debate. I am sure that police powers granted the government will be abused over time and that Snowden is an authentic whistleblower …

MORE...

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/22/richard-cohen-reverse-edward-snowden

12 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Richard Cohen's Reverse On Snowden: Not A 'Traitor', But A Whistleblower (Original Post) Purveyor Oct 2013 OP

Even a blind hog pscot Oct 2013 #1

k n r cui bono Oct 2013 #2

Duh TheKentuckian Oct 2013 #3

He 'bent over backwards'? By handing everything over to someone else? randome Oct 2013 #4

Yes. He entrusted the material to those who would respect his wishes Luminous Animal Oct 2013 #5

. Mojorabbit Oct 2013 #6

You can read Cohen's article here: Luminous Animal Oct 2013 #7

They used to say nobody reads Cohen but his mother Laughing Mirror Oct 2013 #8

nice to see Puzzledtraveller Oct 2013 #9

knr Douglas Carpenter Oct 2013 #10

But..but..he embarrassed the snoops and the bosses!!! Tierra_y_Libertad Oct 2013 #11

More and more people are going to realize that the new technology requires new international JDPriestly Oct 2013 #12

pscot

(21,024 posts)

1. Even a blind hog

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 02:35 PM

Oct 2013

finds an acorn once in a while.

cui bono

(19,926 posts)

2. k n r

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 02:41 PM

Oct 2013

for exposure!

TheKentuckian

(25,026 posts)

3. Duh

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 02:44 PM

Oct 2013

randome

(34,845 posts)

4. He 'bent over backwards'? By handing everything over to someone else?

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 02:49 PM

Oct 2013

Der Spiegel and Le Monde have both redacted information that could harm intelligence efforts. Snowden had nothing to do with that.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

Luminous Animal

(27,310 posts)

5. Yes. He entrusted the material to those who would respect his wishes

Reply to randome (Reply #4)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 02:52 PM

Oct 2013

Every publication has redacted the material... NY Times. WaPo. The Guardian. El Globo.

Mojorabbit

(16,020 posts)

6. .

Reply to randome (Reply #4)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 02:56 PM

Oct 2013

Luminous Animal

(27,310 posts)

7. You can read Cohen's article here:

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 03:06 PM

Oct 2013

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/richard-cohen-edward-snowden-is-no-traitor/2013/10/21/f9d2ae5a-3a74-11e3-a94f-b58017bfee6c_story.html

Laughing Mirror

(4,185 posts)

8. They used to say nobody reads Cohen but his mother

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 03:17 PM

Oct 2013

That was decades ago when you used to hear that said, and if true, and assuming his mother is no longer, that means that nobody reads the regularly published, widely distributed Richard Cohen any more at all. His opinions are of no more interest to people than those of the other mediocre hacks who somehow find mass outlets for their mediocrity.

Excellent article.

Puzzledtraveller

(5,937 posts)

9. nice to see

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 03:20 PM

Oct 2013

Douglas Carpenter

(20,226 posts)

10. knr

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 03:30 PM

Oct 2013

Tierra_y_Libertad

(50,414 posts)

11. But..but..he embarrassed the snoops and the bosses!!!

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 03:39 PM

Oct 2013

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)

12. More and more people are going to realize that the new technology requires new international

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Tue Oct 22, 2013, 04:42 PM

Oct 2013

agreements that can be enforced with by international agencies set up for the purpose.

We do not have the right to commit crimes or conspire to commit crimes on the internet. But we do have the right to communicate legally and in privacy on the internet.

All people have the obligation on the one hand to obey the law and respect the rights of others and have, on the other hand, the right to free expression and privacy.

So that is where we need to start on an agreement that can be enforced.

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