Could Snowden returning home to face charges spark our American Spring?

Just a wild thought I had. How sympathetic to the American people to Edward Snowden? I have always felt that if you play the "I don't trust the media at all game" in your mind, then really, how can you trust that Edward Snowden is who the media says he is. Heck people on this site believe some tragedies never even occurred.. anywho.. Even if he's the Edward Snowden we all know any maybe love (or not) what kind of event could cause a planned or unplanned uprising in the American people in the current news? Edward Snowden, Like Neo giving himself up to the machines so he can be re-inserted into the Matrix to do epic battle, returns to America, and faces charges. What if they uphold the law and throw the book at him, charging him with treason, could this be the event that makes people finally flip their lids? I'm guessing not, video games, T.v., fast food, and iphones will prevent that. THank God.

originally posted by: Vaedur
Just a wild thought I had. How sympathetic to the American people to Edward Snowden? I have always felt that if you play the "I don't trust the media at all game" in your mind, then really, how can you trust that Edward Snowden is who the media says he is. Heck people on this site believe some tragedies never even occurred.. anywho.. Even if he's the Edward Snowden we all know any maybe love (or not) what kind of event could cause a planned or unplanned uprising in the American people in the current news? Edward Snowden, Like Neo giving himself up to the machines so he can be re-inserted into the Matrix to do epic battle, returns to America, and faces charges. What if they uphold the law and throw the book at him, charging him with treason, could this be the event that makes people finally flip their lids? I'm guessing not, video games, T.v., fast food, and iphones will prevent that. THank God.

I am guessing, if he returns they will cut a deal to make it all go away. The media has a huge influence on public opinion and so far the majority claims he is a traitor as well. The interesting thing would be, if he is to cut a deal will it be based on things he hasn't released yet, something like the ace in the hole. With the current administration and their desire to kill the messenger, it would be telling if the whole Snowden problem just disappeared. Then the speculation would begin right here as to what was the ace in the hole.

We shall wait and see.

Glen Greenwald, who interviewed him and originally released some of the info --then later wrote a book about it -- said he is writing another book about other things he received from Snowden that would "shock" people even more.

But on Snowden returning, I don't think he will ever get a "deal" that would be worth it to him to return. Unless the next administration has a very different view.

With what has been released so far, whether he is in the country or not, I would think if there was going to be an "American Spring", it would have happened already.

It's interesting that yesterday before the interview aired, just over 50% of people thought he was a traitor. After the interview, about 62% thought he was a patriot.

ETA: Greenwald, after releasing some of the info, moved to Brazil.

We don't want an American spring. All it would is give Obama a reason to declare marshal law. what I wouldn't mind seeing is Snowden, or more precisely, the NSA breaches become a campaign issue.

Maybe his time collecting Russian info is done and now they want him back.Think about it. Russia and US tensions rising. What do you? Come up with some BS story about a "Leak". Fool the Russians.

What do you get?

A spy in Russia with the whole world watching, but not realising.

They got a good cover for him too. NSA phone hacking thing was big, but what has that whole thing done? They make sure he drip feeds us "amazing" eye opening stuff, but as usual, nothing gets done about it. Once he has got what he needs, they bring him home.

That or the whole thing is as what we see it as haha

originally posted by: Vaedur
Even if he's the Edward Snowden we all know any maybe love (or not) what kind of event could cause a planned or unplanned uprising in the American people in the current news?

Perhaps it may happen once Glen Greenwald publishes the list of exactly who the NSA has been targeting that the American people will take this more seriously. This could be a "game-changer" and my hope is Greenwald won't redact this list like he has many of the other documents he has released. He claims it will be read in 4-8 weeks, so who knows?

a reply to: Vaedur

If he goes back home, he will never see sunlight again. How that will effect the public mood, I have no idea.

What I would say, is that if the USA is to have some sort of mass uprising and a purge of its most harmful political elements in the establishment, then it is more likely to occur with him at large and abroad, than with Mr Snowden either behind bars, or in a hole in the ground in some Godforsaken CIA black site on foreign soil.

a reply to: TrueBrit

If he goes back home, he will never see sunlight again.

You got that right.
My guess would be that they would torture him to find out what all info he took and who all he gave it to.
BUT-
He has an insurance policy with the info that he has, or they already would have gotten him.

I think if Snowden comes back, nothing will happen, with the American citizens and its Gov. People are just to cozy right now with their own lives, stupid reality TV, sporting events, etc.. Its going to take some real change, to set off the American people, and the Gov knows this. They are slowly conditioning people for a gun grab, dumbing done the population, making more families dependent on gov assistance, and pretty much making us slaves to the government.

I've come to the conclusion that NOTHING will get the masses of their butts. Look at whats ALREADY going on!!!
Police OPENLY murdering citizens almost daily!
The workforce being reduced to minimum wage slaves!
Toxic food!!!
Generate your own electricity and you must pay a tax!!!
Your phone and internet use under 24/7 surveillance!
OBAMA CARE ffs!!!!

Nope, they'll never get of their fat lazy butts!

My thought is, how many Americans even know or care who Snowden is?
People, us Canadians too, as a whole, in my opinion, are too tied up in their own reality TV, instagram lives to care about a whistle blower releasing government secrets.
People on this site are generally pretty savy but, we do not by any means make up a majority.
There will be no American spring over Snowden. There may be a blurb on Fox news that people will ignore and go back to watching Honey Boo Boo.

I had already predicted this some time back go here to read www.abovetopsecret.com...

Snowden is not an spy for the US but may have been for Russia but one thing for sure he is a criminal with ties to both Chinese and Russian Hackers who are stealing Identities via men like Snowden.

This man has nothing to offer his Nation. But he does have something to offer the FBI in helping to bring down the Russian and Chinese hackers in American and around the world. and that is the only leverage he has if he wants to stay of of Bunghole Central (prison).

Sympathetic towards Snowden ?

WHY THE HELL would anyone be ?

Ran to a bigger spy than we are.

Ran to the guy who just invaded Ukraine.

Is ALSO one of the worlds largest arms sellers.

Oh and the countries leader doesn't think to highly of 'America'.

Sympathetic ?

I have nothing but contempt for the guy.

Considering that his heavily hyped interview was watched by less people than So You Think You Can Dance that same evening I am pretty sure the nobody really cares what happens to the guy one way or the other.

Nope. Let me tell you why I believe otherwise.. In the confines of ATS, Snowden is likened to Bradley Manning. A brave guy willing to go out on a whim to let the American people know a little truth rather than a typical conspiracy the average civilian might hear might hear on FOX news.

Outside of ATS there is a plethora of ignorance among the sheep. I know many people here don't use Facebook, but his interview is 'trending' there and has been for a few days now. The comments are riddled with more ignorance than one can comprehend. People are calling him a traitor and a bad spy. They DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT like Snowden. The public couldn't care less about this man. They were bad mouthing him SO MUCH.

You know what, I'm gonna go get some screen caps. Clearly the people who are with Snowden is in the minority. It's really sad.

The op, asked if Snowden returns home to face charges if it would cause an American Spring.

And if he came home would they charge him with Treason.

The answer is no, it will not cause an American spring, nor will the federal government charge him with Treason. The first problem with that is that the Federal Government does not want all of what Snowden released. If it is a Treason trail, then all of it would be open to public record and inspection. If it is as embarrassing as some would suspect, then they can not simply put him on a public trail or have such come to light. So they will go for a lesser charge, and send him to prison, fine him and ultimately let the dust settle and ultimately this all blow over.

The problem that many have with the entire Treason charge, is that it is no longer something of shock and aw, but has been over used in the past. If a politician does something unpopular, and military person does something that violates a trust, someone tends to use it, even though the evidence does not support such. And if you go by the law, in order for there to be a treason charge, then the country would have to be in an armed conflict against another, an actually declared war, and the information would have to be enough to cause damage beyond repair.

If John A. Walker was not convicted of treason, then Snowden will not be charged with such. Espionage, yes, but treason no.

originally posted by: sdcigarpig
The op, asked if Snowden returns home to face charges if it would cause an American Spring.

And if he came home would they charge him with Treason.

The answer is no, it will not cause an American spring, nor will the federal government charge him with Treason. The first problem with that is that the Federal Government does not want all of what Snowden released. If it is a Treason trail, then all of it would be open to public record and inspection. If it is as embarrassing as some would suspect, then they can not simply put him on a public trail or have such come to light. So they will go for a lesser charge, and send him to prison, fine him and ultimately let the dust settle and ultimately this all blow over.

The problem that many have with the entire Treason charge, is that it is no longer something of shock and aw, but has been over used in the past. If a politician does something unpopular, and military person does something that violates a trust, someone tends to use it, even though the evidence does not support such. And if you go by the law, in order for there to be a treason charge, then the country would have to be in an armed conflict against another, an actually declared war, and the information would have to be enough to cause damage beyond repair.

If John A. Walker was not convicted of treason, then Snowden will not be charged with such. Espionage, yes, but treason no.

He will definitely be charged with Internet Crimes ranging from Identity theft and corporate Data theft from the FBI who had been investigating him for months before he used unauthorized access to get FOIA info without paying for it, then bolts jiust before they bust him, then shares it saying he is revealing that the NSA spies. If you knew of the investigation which is still pending hence why it is not so much public knowledge yet. But let him come home and it will be all over the news and he will get one day in court for sure, But the Feds have more crimes to charge him with now of which he can get some time off if he cooperated and gives them the source codes for the Russian and Chinese hackers he worked with for some time while he was an contracted analyst. Even the company that he worked for has criminal charges awaiting for him.

I knew this day was coming but let's see what comes of it.

a reply to: ChesterJohn

What they are going to charge him with is violating federal law. Under title 18 of the US Code, 798 and it states:
(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully communicates, furnishes, transmits, or otherwise makes available to an unauthorized person, or publishes, or uses in any manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detriment of the United States any classified information—
(1) concerning the nature, preparation, or use of any code, cipher, or cryptographic system of the United States or any foreign government; or
(2) concerning the design, construction, use, maintenance, or repair of any device, apparatus, or appliance used or prepared or planned for use by the United States or any foreign government for cryptographic or communication intelligence purposes; or
(3) concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States or any foreign government; or
(4) obtained by the processes of communication intelligence from the communications of any foreign government, knowing the same to have been obtained by such processes—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

Based off of prior cases he will be charged under of the Espionage act and violating title 18 of the USC. That is all, that way it will be a quick trial. The most he will get is about 10 years and a fine. During that time, his lawyers and the governments lawyers will be discussing and debating, talking and arguing about the penalties, and see if they can both plea bargain this to where it can avoid going to trial.

The problem here is that it will never be a public trial, and the man is going to be sitting in prison for the duration, if he does turn him in, as he is and has shown himself to be a flight risk.

Look what happened to Manning. Another whistle blower who will probably never step foot outside prison walls again.
Snowden should not come home. Snowden did the right thing and went to the right country. Probably one of the only countries in the world that could actually protect him from the US thugs that want to kill him. Being a hero isn't always easy and Snowden is a Hero. As far as American Spring. There will be no revolution...not yet. We're too comfortable. The powers that be realize the big truth, there can never be a revolution while the populace is generally comfortable.