For Julian
For Julian
Today is Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Today the Westminster Magistrate’s Court is scheduled to issue the order to extradite Julian Assange to the USA.
As it is after Noon, before writing this I thought to search for any news on that order. I came across a short piece in the Independent/UK announcing the proceeding, but no information on the current status; otherwise my Google search turned up articles dated from March 14 (when he was denied ‘permission’ to appeal) or earlier equally shameful news.
First. Let me state that I am a fairly hard core ‘Assangevist’. I applaud, appreciate, highly value and HONOUR his work and what it represents. It was jarring to read the truth about our beloved countries. Truth which is ugly; yet MUST be seen if we are to even begin to create the kind of society we SAY we want. Truth which We The People are entitled to, even though too many of us seem to forget that WE pay THEIR salaries. They are OUR employees. It is our right to know what they are doing with our money and in our name. Period. Full Stop.
Second. He NEVER published a falsehood. EVER. The couple of times an offended party tried to sue him or force him to retract, those cases were slam dunked out of the courthouse. The politicians do not issue denials, because Julian gave us legitimate evidence, which could NOT be denied.
Third. This is not about publishing or sharing anything close to ‘national defence information’. This is not about him publishing ‘only anti-USA’ information; a cry I’ve heard from too many people who have obviously never actually visited Wikileaks’ actual site, or who don’t get that USA and Europe are focused upon, because They Are ‘our’ Empire. Historically, continually and currently locked in the battle for dominance and ownership, against their mortal foes - the ROTW (rest of the world).
Fourth. These truths are especially hard to swallow for a nation/nations, who support politicians in the same way they support sports teams or celebrities. They are REALLY difficult to accept when we find that we are ultimately responsible for the hardship and suffering of so many. People who have never harmed us. Collateral damage. Irrelevant lives. I guess as a member of the irrelevant class, I paid attention. Wikileaks gave us the FACTS about HRC, Sarkozy and St. Obama; their actions in the destruction and ruin of Libya. Irrefutable. Wikileaks told us the truth of the numbers of civilian deaths in Dubya’s filthy lying war in Iraq. Yes, Wikileaks published queen Hillary’s emails.
ALL TRUE.
Fifth. As the actual Employers in this scenario, and with Trillions of $ being gobbled up by these people; don’t you want to kind of… keep an eye on what they are doing with YOUR money? With your reputation as a people, as nations? Even if you agree with what they are doing, don’t you think you have a right to know exactly what that is? Especially, if you DON’T agree?
Or maybe we just don’t WANT to know. Perhaps it is just more comfortable to not really confront the issues of exactly how ‘our’ way of life is made possible? Of the ability and the apparent willingness to bomb innocent people, who have not transgressed us in any way? Of the power mad individuals who will do ANYTHING to maintain and grow their ‘power over’ status. Of those of us, who are so tired and beaten down that simply achieving the lowest political or social goal is too much work, so we settle, and then we have to believe in our choices; otherwise we only see a fool’s eyes looking back at us from the mirror.
Perhaps this is why I am sad today. I am heartbroken to watch our governments do this to a man who is only guilty of doing his job. They couldn’t deny anything he ever published, yet they’ve managed over the years to charge him with EIGHTEEN crimes. Yet, they are now using only the ridiculous ‘national defence’ info.
Remember the ever so convenient change of political POV of Ecuador’s president Moreno? He had served as VP under then President Correa who had served from 2007 - 2017. Correa gave Julian asylum in 2012. Moreno beat Correa by a narrow margin, securing the presidency in 2017. He then turned on a dime, and completely changed policy (quelle surprise), and eventually removed Julian from asylum, allowing the Brits to kidnap him to Belmarsh.
To say that his treatment has been inhumane; especially for someone who has committed no crime is a mild statement. Solitary confinement? Barred from speaking with his attorneys or aiding in his own defence? Not allowed to attend proceedings? Not even allowed to be married in the prison chapel, and guests disallowed because they happened to be journalists? I wager there are actual murderers in Belmarsh who are being treated a far sight better than Julian.
Though to a population hardened by photos and videos of military heroes, humiliating and sexually abusing Iraqi prisoners, during a war, which was in it’s entirety based on a complete and utter outright lie… well, maybe the concept of an innocent non-violent man being publicly wronged, is just unseeable.
Let’s look at this another way. Let’s look at the independent media outlets which have been shut down. The brilliant, insightful award winning journalists who are currently being disappeared. Chris Hedges tops that list. John Pilger, Glenn Greenwald, etc. These people do the hard, dirty work of journalism. That work is to Inform The People. They have done so with truth and integrity. Therefore, they must be silenced. Disappeared from the public eye.
THIS is the ultimate end game in the persecution of Julian. Taking Julian down has been the goal for YEARS, because the ‘EMPLOYEES’ have decided that their employers have no need to know how the business is run or the true cost of doing that business; in money, in respect, in integrity. The inmates took over the asylum a long time ago. It saddens me that the employers don’t seem to mind. Would prefer NOT to know. Are willing to allow, to sanction the imprisonment, torture and slow killing of a man, for simply doing his job. This is a green light for the employees to continue to run the show. To decide what we should know, and more importantly what we believe. What we cheer about. Who we decide is not worth caring about or listening to; even as our societies defecate on their homes.
The persecution of Julian is about so much more than just a single man. It is an attack on journalism, on the people’s absolute right to know, on truth, on the transparency in government that we as citizens are completely entitled to.
So, on this day, where his fate will very likely be sealed and he might be carted off to linger in a USA prison or worse; for committing the crime of informing the public; please take a moment to think of him, and to understand the ramifications of the situation. As we wander in the darkness, remember that it is we, who have allowed the candles to be blown out.