--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question of whether I, as a…" description: "\"The question of whether I, as a whistleblower, should be pardoned, is not for me to answer.\" — Edward Snowden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/edward-snowden-555_answers_the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistlebl_1146448.jpg" --- # The question of whether I, as a whistleblower, should be… ![“The question of whether I, as a whistleblower, should be pardoned, is not for me to answer.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/edward-snowden-555_answers_the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistlebl_1146448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/edward-snowden-555_answers_the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistlebl_1146448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/edward-snowden-555_answers_the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistlebl_1146448.jpg) > “The question of whether I, as a whistleblower, should be pardoned, is not for me to answer.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The decision to pardon a whistleblower rests on legal and ethical considerations beyond the whistleblower’s personal desire. **In simple terms:** Pardons are decided by authorities, not the whistleblower. Key Takeaway Respect due process and public interest. Themes law ethics whistleblowing Mood serious analytical Type legal political When to use this quote - legal review - political debate - media coverage - civil rights activism Key Concepts government accountability public safety Questions to Reflect On - Should whistleblowers be pardoned automatically? - What criteria should guide pardon decisions? A Different Perspective Political pressures can influence pardon outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Pardoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pardoned/) [Whistleblower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whistleblower/) [Whistleblowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whistleblowers/) ## Related quotes > [My case clearly demonstrates the need for comprehensive whistleblower protection act reform. If we had had a real process in place, and reports of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/my-case-clearly-demonstrates-the-need-for-comprehensive-whistleblower/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As for labeling someone a whistleblower, I think it does them - it does all of us - a disservice, because it "otherizes" us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-for-labeling-someone-a-whistleblower-i-think-it-does-them-it-does/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ It's interesting that you mention \[Andrei\] Sakharov's creative axis - he had produced something for the government that he then realized was something other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-interesting-that-you-mention-andrei-sakharov-s-creative-axis-he/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [There were no whistleblower protections that would've protected me - and that's known to everybody in the intelligence community. There are no proper channels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-were-no-whistleblower-protections-that-would-ve-protected-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Most Swiss banks do have a whistleblower program, but they use it to punish those who avail themselves of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herve-falciani/most-swiss-banks-do-have-a-whistleblower-program-but-they-use-it-to/) [Herve Falciani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herve-falciani/) > [ Chelsea Manning, who's now set to be free May 17th \[2017\], after Obama shortened her sentence from 35 years to seven. According to her… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/chelsea-manning-who-s-now-set-to-be-free-may-17th-2017-after-obama/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [In the Enron scandal, whistleblower Sherron Watkins is now calling herself Enron Brokovitch. She testified Ken Lay was duped by the other executives. Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/in-the-enron-scandal-whistleblower-sherron-watkins-is-now-calling/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [It's not everyday that a whistleblower is actually willing to be identified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-poitras/it-s-not-everyday-that-a-whistleblower-is-actually-willing-to-be/) [Laura Poitras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-poitras/) > [“The Democratic Party would like to be re-elected so that they can continue to uphold almost no Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) whistle-blower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-democratic-party-would-like-to-be-re-elected-so-that-they-can/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [That's a problem. I mean, like any sort of growing startup organization, we are sort of overwhelmed by our growth. And that means we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/that-s-a-problem-i-mean-like-any-sort-of-growing-startup-organization/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [“Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give to an American.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/being-called-a-traitor-by-dick-cheney-is-the-highest-honor-you-can/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ “I was right outside the NSA \[on 9/11\], so I remember the tension on that day. I remember hearing on the radio, 'the plane's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-was-right-outside-the-nsa-on-9-11-so-i-remember-the-tension-on-that/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The sad truth is that societies that demand whistleblowers be martyrs often find themselves without either, and always when it matters the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-sad-truth-is-that-societies-that-demand-whistleblowers-be-martyrs/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If I and other whistleblowers are sentenced to long years in prison without so much as a chance to explain our motivations to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-i-and-other-whistleblowers-are-sentenced-to-long-years-in-prison/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The question of whether I, as a whistleblower, should be pardoned, is not for me to answer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Snowden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistleblower-should-be-pardoned-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistleblower-should-be-pardoned-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/edward-snowden-555_answers_the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistlebl_1146448.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/edward-snowden-555_answers_the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistlebl_1146448.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/edward-snowden-555_answers_the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistlebl_1146448.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The question of whether I, as a whistleblower, should be pardoned, is not for me to answer.” — Edward Snowden", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edward Snowden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The question of whether I, as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistleblower-should-be-pardoned-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-question-of-whether-i-as-a-whistleblower-should-be-pardoned-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```