Darling Of The Left,Michael Moore Gives $20K For Assange Bail...

[BlackAsCoal]

Assange is a media whore. That's it.

... inside your head that might indeed be it.

.. but in the really real world ...

Feel free to keep him inside your head.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

If Assange Were In China, US Politicians Would Be Cheering Him On

from the transparency-means-different-things-when-it's-about-you dept

We've pointed out the general hypocrisy of US politicians calling for an end to internet censorship, while threatening Wikileaks at the same time. If you want to see some real irony, check out the fact that Senator Joe Lieberman, who has been the loudest voice in pushing for censorship of Wikileaks and of others in the press, just so happens to be a member of the "Global Internet Freedom Caucus." Yeah, except here in the US.

Along those lines, Martin Varsavsky points out the obvious: if Julian Assange were a Chinese citizen, publishing Chinese government documents, the US would likely be cheering him on:

Lately I have a strong feeling that the Chinese must be rejoicing at all the "retroactive law invention" that is going on in the West to put one man in jail. Because if Assange had been a Chinese citizen promoting transparency in China we would be lining up to give him the Nobel Prize. We can't demand transparency from others and censorship for ourselves.
In fact, as Evgeny Morozov notes, Russia's Ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin is already using the US's reaction to Wikileaks to say what a joke "freedom of the press" is in America. That tweet is in Russian, but the Google translation is:

In my opinion, the fate of Assange says the lack of media freedom in the West, the presence of political persecution and human rights violations.

What's really stunning, beyond just the sheer uselessness and impotence of the US government's response to Wikileaks, is the fact that it's inevitably destroying any moral high ground on claims of freedom and support of free speech we might have once had. In the end, I would expect that to have a much bigger impact than anything that's in the actual leaked cables.
If Assange Were In China, US Politicians Would Be Cheering Him On | Techdirt

While i can't join you in cheerleading for China,i do agree with your points on Western Media. Our own MSM here is completely owned by both political parties. Nothing is released to the public without at least one of the major political parties allowing it. There is no longer an independent Media in this country. They simply do what they're told in the end. The two political parties control everything.

 

[daveman]

If this guy posted secret information that put American troops in harm's way such the position of troops on the battlefield and classified information about secret agents who could be killed then he is wrong and should be prosecuted, but if he's only posting the dirty laundry of politicians and their hypocrisy of how they tell people one thing and say another I say leave him the hell alone, politicians have been lying to Americans for too long.

He's not only posting dirty laundry.

WikiLeaks lists sites key to U.S. security

The diplomats identified dozens of places on every continent, including mines, manufacturing complexes, ports and research establishments. CNN is not publishing specific details from the list, which refers to pipelines and undersea telecommunications cables as well as the location of minerals or chemicals critical to U.S. industry.

The list also mentions dams close to the U.S. border and a telecommunications hub whose destruction might seriously disrupt global communications. Diplomats also identified sites of strategic importance for supplying U.S. forces and interests abroad, such as in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Panama Canal.

The cable is classified secret and not for review by non-U.S. personnel.​

 

[California Girl]

If this guy posted secret information that put American troops in harm's way such the position of troops on the battlefield and classified information about secret agents who could be killed then he is wrong and should be prosecuted, but if he's only posting the dirty laundry of politicians and their hypocrisy of how they tell people one thing and say another I say leave him the hell alone, politicians have been lying to Americans for too long.

I am always amazed at the limited intellect of seemingly intelligent people. Bass, I thought you would be able to see the incredible amount of damaged Assange has done.... not embarrassing.... but actually putting Americans in danger - our troops, and our citizens.

 

[BlackAsCoal]

If Assange Were In China, US Politicians Would Be Cheering Him On

from the transparency-means-different-things-when-it's-about-you dept

We've pointed out the general hypocrisy of US politicians calling for an end to internet censorship, while threatening Wikileaks at the same time. If you want to see some real irony, check out the fact that Senator Joe Lieberman, who has been the loudest voice in pushing for censorship of Wikileaks and of others in the press, just so happens to be a member of the "Global Internet Freedom Caucus." Yeah, except here in the US.

Along those lines, Martin Varsavsky points out the obvious: if Julian Assange were a Chinese citizen, publishing Chinese government documents, the US would likely be cheering him on:

Lately I have a strong feeling that the Chinese must be rejoicing at all the "retroactive law invention" that is going on in the West to put one man in jail. Because if Assange had been a Chinese citizen promoting transparency in China we would be lining up to give him the Nobel Prize. We can't demand transparency from others and censorship for ourselves.
In fact, as Evgeny Morozov notes, Russia's Ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin is already using the US's reaction to Wikileaks to say what a joke "freedom of the press" is in America. That tweet is in Russian, but the Google translation is:

In my opinion, the fate of Assange says the lack of media freedom in the West, the presence of political persecution and human rights violations.

What's really stunning, beyond just the sheer uselessness and impotence of the US government's response to Wikileaks, is the fact that it's inevitably destroying any moral high ground on claims of freedom and support of free speech we might have once had. In the end, I would expect that to have a much bigger impact than anything that's in the actual leaked cables.
If Assange Were In China, US Politicians Would Be Cheering Him On | Techdirt

While i can't join you in cheerleading for China,i do agree with your points on Western Media. Our own MSM here is completely owned by both political parties. Nothing is released to the public without at least one of the major political parties allowing it. There is no longer an independent Media in this country. They simply do what they're told in the end. The two political parties control everything.

The two political parties don't own anything .. not even themselves.

They are owned by corporate interests .. which also owns American media lock, stock, and barrel.

They also own the American people.

 

[BlackAsCoal]

If this guy posted secret information that put American troops in harm's way such the position of troops on the battlefield and classified information about secret agents who could be killed then he is wrong and should be prosecuted, but if he's only posting the dirty laundry of politicians and their hypocrisy of how they tell people one thing and say another I say leave him the hell alone, politicians have been lying to Americans for too long.

I am always amazed at the limited intellect of seemingly intelligent people. Bass, I thought you would be able to see the incredible amount of damaged Assange has done.... not embarrassing.... but actually putting Americans in danger - our troops, and our citizens.

TRUTH is always anti-american.

... off with his head

 

[Common Sense]

he wont be tried for any crimes because the courts have already ruled that they cant be punished or censured.

New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971), was a United States Supreme Court per curiam decision. The ruling made it possible for the New York Times and Washington Post newspapers to publish the then-classified Pentagon Papers without risk of government censure.
President Richard Nixon had claimed executive authority to force the Times to suspend publication of classified information in its possession. The question before the court was whether the constitutional freedom of the press, guaranteed by the First Amendment, was subordinate to a claimed need of the executive branch of government to maintain the secrecy of information. The Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment did protect the right of the New York Times' to print the materials.

They will however court martial Bradley Manning who leaked them and he well be punished severely.

"Manning was charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) with violations of UCMJ Articles 92 and 134, for "transferring classified data onto his personal computer and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system," and "communicating, transmitting and delivering national defense information to an unauthorized source". Manning is currently awaiting an Article 32 hearing."

Technically Assange didnt do anything illegal in posting the document. the morality of it is a totally separate issue.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

I'm just sensing a rapidly changing tone coming from the Lefties who were here recently demanding this guy's head. Now they're actually making excuses like claiming this current Administration is not Left but is instead "Conservative." Weird stuff.

 

[California Girl]

If this guy posted secret information that put American troops in harm's way such the position of troops on the battlefield and classified information about secret agents who could be killed then he is wrong and should be prosecuted, but if he's only posting the dirty laundry of politicians and their hypocrisy of how they tell people one thing and say another I say leave him the hell alone, politicians have been lying to Americans for too long.

He's not only posting dirty laundry.

WikiLeaks lists sites key to U.S. security

The diplomats identified dozens of places on every continent, including mines, manufacturing complexes, ports and research establishments. CNN is not publishing specific details from the list, which refers to pipelines and undersea telecommunications cables as well as the location of minerals or chemicals critical to U.S. industry.

The list also mentions dams close to the U.S. border and a telecommunications hub whose destruction might seriously disrupt global communications. Diplomats also identified sites of strategic importance for supplying U.S. forces and interests abroad, such as in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Panama Canal.

The cable is classified secret and not for review by non-U.S. personnel.​

Just the fact that he's publishing classified information - no matter how trivial - has done untold damage to our ability to work with our allies. The man needs to be charged, tried and, hopefully, do serious time in a US Federal prison... in the general populaton... where our fellow Americans can 'splain to him just what we think of people who put our fellow Americans at risk.

 

[Synthaholic]

Damn, I gotta say, this is the first time I think I have ever agreed with that ugly bastard.

Who, Modbert?

 

[Bass v 2.0]

If this guy posted secret information that put American troops in harm's way such the position of troops on the battlefield and classified information about secret agents who could be killed then he is wrong and should be prosecuted, but if he's only posting the dirty laundry of politicians and their hypocrisy of how they tell people one thing and say another I say leave him the hell alone, politicians have been lying to Americans for too long.

I am always amazed at the limited intellect of seemingly intelligent people. Bass, I thought you would be able to see the incredible amount of damaged Assange has done.... not embarrassing.... but actually putting Americans in danger - our troops, and our citizens.

Please specifically show that "damage" he has caused because I haven't seen anything that put the lives of troops in harm's way, politicians should be honest and straight up if they can't do that they shouldn't be in office. Its dishonest to proclaim a certain country to be our "ally" publicly while privately and secretly badmouthing them, I'd sure like to see what they really think about the Americans who voted them into office.

 

[Synthaholic]

Now I get it .. you think Obama and tthe Democratic Party are the left.



WRONG

So they've become Conservatives? Interesting.

Who needs to be a conservative?

Obama is a corporatist .. and a centrist

He doesn't give a shit about the left.

I wouldn't go that far.

 

[Synthaholic]

If this guy posted secret information that put American troops in harm's way such the position of troops on the battlefield and classified information about secret agents who could be killed then he is wrong and should be prosecuted, but if he's only posting the dirty laundry of politicians and their hypocrisy of how they tell people one thing and say another I say leave him the hell alone, politicians have been lying to Americans for too long.

He's not only posting dirty laundry.

WikiLeaks lists sites key to U.S. security

The diplomats identified dozens of places on every continent, including mines, manufacturing complexes, ports and research establishments. CNN is not publishing specific details from the list, which refers to pipelines and undersea telecommunications cables as well as the location of minerals or chemicals critical to U.S. industry.

The list also mentions dams close to the U.S. border and a telecommunications hub whose destruction might seriously disrupt global communications. Diplomats also identified sites of strategic importance for supplying U.S. forces and interests abroad, such as in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Panama Canal.

The cable is classified secret and not for review by non-U.S. personnel.​

Just the fact that he's publishing classified information - no matter how trivial - has done untold damage to our ability to work with our allies. The man needs to be charged, tried and, hopefully, do serious time in a US Federal prison... in the general populaton... where our fellow Americans can 'splain to him just what we think of people who put our fellow Americans at risk.

Last week you were calling for his execution.

Getting soft?

 

[BlackAsCoal]

So they've become Conservatives? Interesting.

Who needs to be a conservative?

Obama is a corporatist .. and a centrist

He doesn't give a shit about the left.

I wouldn't go that far.

Then you haven't studied him.

Note to “the Left”: Obama Hates You
Note to ?the Left?: Obama Hates You | Black Agenda Report

Study his loss against Rep. Bobby Rush for Congress.

 

[westwall]

This is what I find interesting. Assanges bail is under 500,000 and Moore who is conservatively worth over 100 million only offers a pithy 20 grand? That's almost an insult or is he really just that cheap a bastard?

 

[WillowTree]

So to the left Asangeeeeeee is a hero? The hate America First club is officially in session. Go Team.

Yeah, telling the TRUTH should always be considered as "hate America"

How about getting people killed! You like that too! ASs fuckin wipe.

 

[Bass v 2.0]

To further illustrate my point, no one knew that J Edgar Hoover had an COINTELPRO covert program that among other things, harassed MLK and encouraged him to commit suicide and used lies. the only reason it came to light was when some people broke into the FBI's headquarters and obtained the documents.

 

[loosecannon]

This is what I find interesting. Assanges bail is under 500,000 and Moore who is conservatively worth over 100 million only offers a pithy 20 grand? That's almost an insult or is he really just that cheap a bastard?

I think it's more like: when you stand up to the federal government you prefer to be a small fish among many fish rather than the only fish in their pond. Lest they focus their ire on you alone.

And the more people step up in Assange's defense the more compelling their stance becomes.

Remember the cyber wars and the espionage now in play. Moore has already dealt with death threats against his family members over his films, he doesn't want to make himself THE target if he can just be A target among many.

 

[California Girl]

To further illustrate my point, no one knew that J Edgar Hoover had an COINTELPRO covert program that among other things, harassed MLK and encouraged him to commit suicide and used lies. the only reason it came to light was when some people broke into the FBI's headquarters and obtained the documents.

And.... to illustrate mine.... Other security agencies around the world are not sharing information with our security services.... because we cannot be trusted with secrets. That information is vital to our national security. Because of Assange, our ability to uncover terrorist plots against the US has been compromised. That puts American lives at risk.

 

[Bass v 2.0]

If this guy posted secret information that put American troops in harm's way such the position of troops on the battlefield and classified information about secret agents who could be killed then he is wrong and should be prosecuted, but if he's only posting the dirty laundry of politicians and their hypocrisy of how they tell people one thing and say another I say leave him the hell alone, politicians have been lying to Americans for too long.

He's not only posting dirty laundry.

WikiLeaks lists sites key to U.S. security

The diplomats identified dozens of places on every continent, including mines, manufacturing complexes, ports and research establishments. CNN is not publishing specific details from the list, which refers to pipelines and undersea telecommunications cables as well as the location of minerals or chemicals critical to U.S. industry.

The list also mentions dams close to the U.S. border and a telecommunications hub whose destruction might seriously disrupt global communications. Diplomats also identified sites of strategic importance for supplying U.S. forces and interests abroad, such as in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Panama Canal.

The cable is classified secret and not for review by non-U.S. personnel.​

Just the fact that he's publishing classified information - no matter how trivial - has done untold damage to our ability to work with our allies. The man needs to be charged, tried and, hopefully, do serious time in a US Federal prison... in the general populaton... where our fellow Americans can 'splain to him just what we think of people who put our fellow Americans at risk.

For exposing dirty work and dishonesty, yeah he should be punished for exposing what our elected officials do dishonestly.