Snowden Followed the Highest Power

            OK, everyone knows the story about Edward Snowden. He was the guy who was a contractor and had ties to the documents that he leaked from the NSA. He gave up a pretty good life. He lived in Hawaii, was paid very well at his job, and had a girlfriend he left behind as well.

Some people may think that it was not a right thing for him to leak these documents. After all, these documents were entrusted to him. He was most certainly under contract to not do such a thing to his employers. However, it is clear that he simply wants to uphold the highest authority that this country has. That authority is none other than the United States Constitution.

The Constitution is the foundation on which the United States was built. No matter how old that document is, it is still the law of this land. The Fourth Amendment of our Constitution is, as follows:

“Every subject has a right to be secure from all unreasonable searches, and seizures of his person, his houses, his papers, and all his possessions. All warrants, therefore, are contrary to this right, if the cause or foundation of them be not previously supported by oath or affirmation; and if the order in the warrant to a civil officer, to make search in suspected places, or to arrest one or more suspected persons, or to seize their property, be not accompanied with a special designation of the persons or objects of search, arrest, or seizure: and no warrant ought to be issued but in cases, and with the formalities, prescribed by the laws.”

The NSA was clearly collecting information on everyone that they wanted to collect information on. They did this secretly as well. It can certainly be argued that they conducted “unreasonable searches” on citizens of the United States. They say they do these things to protect people from possible terrorist activities. However, a person can simply say one word to conclude that they really do not know what they are doing with this information. That word is: Boston.

The Boston Bombers got away with what they did. Sure, one is dead and one is currently under trial now. But, this should have never happened at all if the NSA is telling the truth about watching terrorists to see what they do. Did they not analyze these two people and see what they were planning? They are able to collect all of the metadata that they want to collect from whoever they so choose. How were these two able to get away with buying the necessary materials for the bombs and get all the firearms they had on their possession? What did those two amateurs do to fly under the radar so easily? There are so many questions that they NSA simply cannot answer for us. They want us to trust them, but they have not shown any reason for us to do so.

So, Edward Snowden understood what was best for the citizens of the United States. Our Constitution shows that we have a right to know about these “unreasonable searches.” The NSA was taking away our right to be secure. If the NSA was more transparent with citizens and letting citizens know what is going on, there may not have been any uproar. There would not have been any need for an Edward Snowden. He felt that he could not, morally, lie to citizens and hide what he is doing. He realized that there is a higher power in the United States than the NSA. That power is no person. That power is a signed document that was founded in 1776. There is nothing that those below it can do to overthrow it or they would be breaking the laws of this land. That would mean that they need to be arrested and tried for their treasonous actions.