I have mixed feelings on Manning & Snowden.
Lets set the record straight, Snowden did get his GED.
Snowden's father explained that his son had missed several months of school owing to illness and, rather than return, took and passed the tests for his GED at a local community college.[8][16][17] Snowden worked online toward a Master's Degree at the University of Liverpool in 2011.[18] Having worked at a US military base in Japan, Snowden reportedly had a deep interest in Japanese popular culture and had studied the Japanese language[19] and later also worked for a Japanese anime company.[20][21] He also said he had a basic understanding of Mandarin and was deeply interested in martial arts, and listed Buddhism as his religion.[22]
Manning was small for his age – as an adult, he reached 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) and weighed 105 lb (47.6 kg) – and excelled at the saxophone, science, and computers. His father told PBS that Manning created his first website when he was ten years old. He taught himself how to use PowerPoint, won the grand prize three years in a row at the local science fair, and in sixth grade took top prize at a state-wide quiz bowl.[10]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Manning
Both of these men are bright & educated.
Snowden approached the NY Times, they weren't interested, before going to the Guardian.
As to your premise that many 'trust those in power,' I never trusted GWB & Cheney!
I question Obama's willingness to continue some of the policies of GWB!
I have more empathy for Manning. He is willing to face the music for his decisions & didn't flee to an authoritarian country as Snowden did.
Lets look at the way Manning was 'treated' in prison, kept naked for 9 months, in solidarity confinement longer. IMO, that's a form of torture.
There is a real issue with regard to the many 'contractors' that are able to access this info.
There is also an issue with those in power, abusing that power.
If Manning's judge had found him guilty of aiding the enemy merely because of using the Internet, this would have been a bigger crime with terrible ramifications for democracies!
This isn't a black or white problem, its far more complicated.
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