June 9, 2013 - FILE photo of Edward Snowden. The former NSA contract employee-- who handed over thousands of documents revealing a massive US government surveillance program -- will likely have his asylum extended by Russia next week. (A2013)
It’s official: Treason is cool and traitors are acceptable sources for journalists. The Pulitzer Prize says so.
In giving the 2014 Public Service award to The Washington Post and The Guardian for publishing stories based on Edward Snowden’s stolen documents, the Pulitzer judges gave their stamp of approval to news organizations that cooperate with criminals and compromise national security. No doubt the lesson will trickle down to scoop-hungry young journalists that they should cultivate people willing to betray America.
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And why not? Those scribes whose sources steal the most important documents could win a Pulitzer and be the toast of anti-Americans around the world. No responsibility for catastrophe is required.
Other ambitious young people might conclude there is glory in being the next Snowden. If they’re really successful, they might get to be part of a propaganda event with Vladimir Putin, as the fugitive Snowden was last week.
Indicted by a federal grand jury under the Espionage Act, he lives under the tender mercies of Putin and the warm embrace of the Communist state. He’s safe as long as he’s useful, as he was when Putin took time out from carving up his neighbors to use Snowden to mock America. Because the former NSA contractor didn’t bat out a secret message with his eyes that he was being tortured, we must assume that he’s voluntarily burnishing Putin’s image during the campaign to crush the freedom of millions of Ukrainians.
To continue reading Michael Goodwin’s New York Post column, click here.
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