Share: Is Snowden a traitor, a thief, or a treasonous goon? The public has been convinced by the press, government and others to believe Edward Snowden is a threat to national security. Have we ever considered that whistleblowers, and those who leak the secrets, are important to what we want to believe is a functioning democracy? The most basic tenet of a democratic government is transparency, which is paramount in keeping the population informed. In 2013, as a contractor for the National Security Agency, Edward …