Why the secrecy? If we live in a real Democracy? Shouldn't our government be open about what it is doing in our name, and be up for view by those who participate in this Democracy? And if said government is spying on it's own citizens, shouldn't we know about it?
I do think our Democracy should be "transparent." Very little of this secret, classified material needs to be classified or secret. Secrecy is power, and that power can easily be abused. It's been proven, over and over, over over again.
So Edward Snowden walks away from a cushy, well-paid gig and exposes what he thinks is an anti-democratic program. He does it because he thinks he's doing a good thing. Traitor or Hero? Probably neither. I see a guy who is following his conscience and exposing wrong-doing.
I applaud him, and worry about what will happen to him. We live in a vast Surveillance State. We have willingly participated in this 24/7 surveillance. So you want to be private? From your lips to someone else's ear. Everything else is up for grabs!