Edward risked many consequences when leaking documents that he believed the public needed to be aware of in order for them to recognize that they were not truly “free.” The leaks proved that the American public was being spied on by it’s own government, “he [Edward Snowden] uncovered questionable activities that those in power would rather have kept secret. That’s the valuable role that whistle-blowers play in a free society” (Cassidy 1.) These acts, that some consider treasonous while others consider heroic, display how civil disobedience is the key to upholding our freedom and constitutional rights, as well as limiting the power that the government has over it’s