As many as 1.4 million citizens with security clearance saw some or all of the same documents that would later be leaked by Edward Snowden. Why did he, and no one else, decide to step forward and take on the risks associated with becoming a whistleblower and then a fugitive?

For many of us, there’s so many unanswered questions about Edward Snowden. In Snowden, writer and cartoonist Ted Rall delves into Snowden’s early life and work experience, his personality, and the larger issues of privacy, new surveillance technologies, and government intrusion.

I consider myself very liberal and progressive, and even now I’m torn as to my thoughts about what Edward Snowden did, and how he did it. Rall does a decent job of giving us a timeline as well as laying out Snowden’s life growing up, and how it shaped him to be the man he is today. There’s lots of questions, there can only be without it being an autobiography. But, you get a good sense of things.

My issue with the story, as well as the Snowden saga as a whole, is the fact that the American public haven’t had the finger pointed at us enough for our allowing legislation to be passed and our privacy eroded. Whistelblower Mark Klein spoke out in 2007, well before Snowden had the positions he was in. I know, I was part of the Dodd internet Presidential team that worked with Klein to raise awareness of the information he brought forth. We knew we were being sold an empty bag of goods, yet we allowed it anyways. That to me is missing from a lot of the discussion. Rall touches upon it, but ignores some of what was done, such as the advocacy that delayed the passing of FISA.

Rall does a good job of giving us the facts. For those that want to learn more about what happened, and why, this is a good way to start, especially due to its ease of reading. By the time you’re done, you have just the facts, and from there you can hopefully come to your own conclusions or continuing your own investigation.

Story: Ted Rall Art: Ted Rall
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

Seven Stories Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review