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Honest question: why would anyone assume such a petition would have any effect whatsoever? This is the same institution - the state - which has repeatedly and u

Honest question: why would anyone assume such a petition would have any effect whatsoever? This is the same institution - the state - which has repeatedly and unashamedly told the most blatant lies to further its interest (increasing its power at the expense of the sovereignty of the people). Sure the petition might result in some bleating from POTUS, but does anyone seriously believe this would lead to Snowden being pardoned? The people in power will never countenance letting such a precedent stand. What Snowden did presents an existential threat to the establishment. He's going to be made an example of, regardless of the campaigning of idealists who believe the state can be cajoled into behaving benevolently.

jjoonathan 13y ago
No, nobody thinks they are exercising concrete power by signing a petition. However, those who do have authority over this case are well aware that the difference between an effective example and a martyr is primarily one of popularity. The petition aims to prove that Snowden is popular.
- vijayboyapati 13y ago
  If Snowden were popular in the sense that matters, there would be protests down the thoroughfares of American cities to free him. Sadly he is not popular in the sense that matters. He's not popular in the same way that free abortions are popular. He's not even popular in the way that legalizing marijuana is popular. He's just popular enough that libertarian-types (of whom I count myself as one) scream indignant outrage at the grim reality that has been exposed to us (and which many of us have long suspected existed). Most of the rest of the population is already yawning and moving on to the next story. The Economist lead with a piece today barely acknowledging the Orwellian nature of the PRISM program, blandly stating "Our point is not that America's spies are doing the wrong things, but that the level of public scrutiny is inadequate". The true lesson to those of us who cherish freedom is the awful extent to which we have lost.

jjoonathan 13y ago

No, nobody thinks they are exercising concrete power by signing a petition. However, those who do have authority over this case are well aware that the difference between an effective example and a martyr is primarily one of popularity. The petition aims to prove that Snowden is popular.

vijayboyapati 13y ago
If Snowden were popular in the sense that matters, there would be protests down the thoroughfares of American cities to free him. Sadly he is not popular in the sense that matters. He's not popular in the same way that free abortions are popular. He's not even popular in the way that legalizing marijuana is popular. He's just popular enough that libertarian-types (of whom I count myself as one) scream indignant outrage at the grim reality that has been exposed to us (and which many of us have long suspected existed). Most of the rest of the population is already yawning and moving on to the next story. The Economist lead with a piece today barely acknowledging the Orwellian nature of the PRISM program, blandly stating "Our point is not that America's spies are doing the wrong things, but that the level of public scrutiny is inadequate". The true lesson to those of us who cherish freedom is the awful extent to which we have lost.