From my op-ed in Time Magazine urging Obama to pardon Snowden:
"In other words, Snowden followed his conscience. Authoritarians might condemn such a choice. Americans should celebrate it. After all, in his seminal essay “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau wrote, “It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.” And indeed, if people were intended to only and always obey the law, why would we have been given the power—and burden—of conscience? Similarly, if the president were intended always to hew to the law even at the expense of justice, why would the founders have vested the office of the president with the power of pardon?"
Read the whole thing here. And please consider adding your name to this worthy effort.
"In other words, Snowden followed his conscience. Authoritarians might condemn such a choice. Americans should celebrate it. After all, in his seminal essay “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau wrote, “It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.” And indeed, if people were intended to only and always obey the law, why would we have been given the power—and burden—of conscience? Similarly, if the president were intended always to hew to the law even at the expense of justice, why would the founders have vested the office of the president with the power of pardon?"
Read the whole thing here. And please consider adding your name to this worthy effort.
Bravo, Mr. Eisler. Somebody of stature had to make the points you did in Time. Since Edward Snowden is a political football, I have my doubts he will ever be pardoned. He's too easy to kick around for political points. Still, fingers crossed.
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