For whatever it's worth: > albeit perhaps unintentionally You've clearly said you do not believe the journalists have committed crimes, which means your calli

For whatever it's worth: > albeit perhaps unintentionally You've clearly said you do not believe the journalists have committed crimes, which means your calling them "assistants" to Snowden unintentionally perpetuates the innuendo that they were criminal collaborators. The sincere respect is aimed at your influential role on this forum, which is the reason what you say ought to be challenged, not at the innuendo. (Also FWIW I can't find an answer to the question of why you would call the Snowden journalists "his informal team of assistants.")