I'm rather torn on this issue. On the one hand, I completely disagree with what the NSA was being allowed to do. I think it is a perversion of the 4th Amendment.
I agree with Benjamin Franklin when he wrote, "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." The libertarian in me is sickened by what our government has been doing.
On the other hand, I don't believe Snowden is any kind of hero for exposing it (though I will not condemn him for doing so). He still broke US law and violated the trust put in him when he was given his security clearance. He needs to answer for his crimes.