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Letter: Spies as heroes? Times have changed

(U.S. Army via The Associated Press) In this undated file photo provided by the U.S. Army, Pfc. Chelsea Manning poses for a photo wearing a wig and lipstick. On Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, President Barack Obama commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who leaked Army documents and is serving 35 years.

There was a time when anyone convicted of spying or leaking classified documents was put in prison for a long time or worse. Today, individuals like Edward Snowden or Chelsea Manning are considered by some as folk heroes for leaking highly classified documents.

In Manning’s case, though convicted of treason, she received a presidential pardon from President Obama. Alas and alack, poor Benedict Arnold, the Rosenbergs and Jonathan Pollard; you were born too soon.

Edwin T. DeLay, Salt Lake City