Extending your analogy, I think it's more like if someone decides it's not worth sleeping under a bednet. Or my deciding not to wear an N95 at the supermarket. I might agree or disagree with them on whether the risk they're taking is a smart choice, but "cowardly" is a bizarre angle to criticize it from.
My argument is not that I have nothing to hide. Instead, it's that hiding has enough chance of not working that none of us should rely on it.
To reference the Snowden quote again, it would be like giving up your freedom of speech because it's too annoying to defend. That is cowardice.