In the wake of the new Snowden movie, Americans everywhere are forced to remember a less-than-pleasant news scandal regarding Edward Snowden, and not all share the same opinion on the matter.

To recall, Snowden’s fame began in 2013, when the Guardian newspaper came out with a story saying that the National Security Agency (NSA) was collecting the phone numbers of millions of U.S. citizens. Shortly afterward, the Guardian revealed that Edward Snowden was behind the leaks.

He was later disclosed to have given documents to the Guardian regarding the UK spy agency’s tapping of various fiber-optic cables that carried global communications between major international powers, including the NSA.

Since, there has been much debate over whether Snowden should be commended or committed for his actions. Many believe that he is a traitor to his nation and that the government’s secrets are undisclosed  for a reason. Others believe that the American people have a right to know what is going on in their country.

It seems like the only thing either side can agree on is the dichotomy of the matter; Snowden is either a hero or a terrorist, and there is no middle ground.

Real life is a lot more complicated.

Snowden’s actions were undeniably illegal, of course. He was charged with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence. This is what causes many people to stand on the “terrorist” side.

However, more morally than logically, Snowden revealed information to the American public that was more than a little concerning. This was information that, since its release, has been a major concern for denizens of the country. How often have people said, “Be careful, the government reads our emails so watch what you say,” in the past three years and not entirely been joking?

Edward Snowden is currently living in Russia after having fled the country for his actions. And the fact of the matter is,  while many see him as either a traitor or a hero, there is simply too much conflicting evidence and information to accurately settle on either one.