By Jingwei Zhang
Oakland, Calif.

Graphic by Daisy Gomez

Ever since Edward Snowden leaked evidence of U.S. spying programs, the world has been divided on the issue of whether he is a hero or a traitor. The U.S. government wants to prosecute Snowden as a traitor. Meanwhile, American and international public opinion is divided, but the world public tends to favor Snowden’s side.

I believe that Snowden is a traitor for exposing the fact that the United States hacked into the agencies and institutions of other countries. In essence, U.S. spying on foreign countries only complicates international relations in an era when the world is so interconnected that foreign relations are critical to a country’s standing. Continue reading →