Yes. When a person reveals their country's secrets to foreign powers while seeking refuge from them, they have betrayed their country and fellow citizens. Surely you're not suggesting he's a hero.
He didn't reveal his country's secrets to foreign powers; he revealed his country's illegal practices to his country's citizens. Bit of a difference.
I don't know. Did some of them provide foreign nations with U.S. government secrets, or did they simply not carry out their functions very well? It's seems to me there's a bit of space between treason and poor job performance.
They. Broke. The. Law.
The law forbids the NSA from gathering data on US citizens on US soil, full stop. It is a Federal crime for the NSA, its employees, or its contractors to do so.
I do not understand why this is difficult to understand.
I will say it again, because nobody seems to register it.
It is a Federal crime for the NSA, its employees, or its contractors to gather surveillance on US citizens on US soil.
A US citizen who reveals to the US public that a government agency is engaging in widespread criminal activity is not a traitor.
I do not understand the point you are making. Are you saying you believe the NSA should be permitted to violate Federal law with impunity? Is that really what you believe?
