As the government establishment tries to attack the reputation of Mr. Snowdon, 3 former NSA employees who unsuccessfully tried to do the same thing are relieved that finally the news of this abuse of our rights has come out in the open.

   "For years, the three whistle-blowers had told anyone who would listen that the NSA collects huge swaths of communications data from U.S. citizens. They had spent decades in the top ranks of the agency, designing and managing the very data-collection systems they say have been turned against Americans. When they became convinced that fundamental constitutional rights were being violated, they complained first to their superiors, then to federal investigators, congressional oversight committees and, finally, to the news media.

To the intelligence community, the trio are villains who compromised what the government classifies as some of its most secret, crucial and successful initiatives. They have been investigated as criminals and forced to give up careers, reputations and friendships built over a lifetime.

Today, they feel vindicated.

They say the documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the 29-year-old former NSA contractor who worked as a systems administrator, proves their claims of sweeping government surveillance of millions of Americans not suspected of any wrongdoing. They say those revelations only hint at the programs' reach."

At least now the issue is forefront in the public's consciousness, and it can be discussed.

And for everyone who complains that Snowden did it wrong, and should have taken his concerns up the chain of command, the example of what happened to these three, and their lack of success, shows that Snowdon did the right thing.

Via Free North Carolina