Person of the Year 2010? Hand's Down: Julian Assange

[David Zephyr]

The fellow should be the "Global Person of the Year" and, in my opinion, is the single most relevant human being on the planet when it comes to truth telling.

If you like governmental dark deeds done in secret, if you are comfortable with transnational corporate crimes done in secret, if you believe that collusion between the most powerful and privileged at the expense of everyone else on the planet is a good thing, then you will correctly despise this man.

If, however, you believe that truth and sunshine are, in this age, perhaps the only thing that keeps powerful in some check, then you will correctly hail this man -- flaws and all -- for the contribution he is making to the planet.

Too many people on The Left look at the Tea Party Americans as angry fools. But at their core, why are they so damned angry? They've lost their homes, they've lost their jobs, they've lost their loved ones in useless wars trumped up with lies, they've lost their life savings, they've lost their hope, and most of all they've lost all their trust in the biggest institutions in the world. In many ways, The Left has a lot in common with many of these people. Tea Party Americans know they've been screwed, but they just don't know by who. People like Julian Assange help clarify the issue.

The leaking of the Pentagon Papers helped explain to the American People how and why the War in Vietnam had begun, and it ripped the scab off of the lie that made that war at constrast with the values Americans held dear.

Truth has that amazing quality of being easily understood...by all.

"Look! The emperor has no clothes" has been replaced by "Look. All the Emperors are liars!"

[Rage for Order]

1. He'll be lucky to make it to the end of 2010 alive

Based on the dirt he's dished on dozens of countries and their leaders/politicians, I'm guessing there's no shortage of state actors that would not shed a tear if he were removed from the world stage in a less-than-pleasant manner.

[glitch]

3. Not to mention his threat on the banks.

They play really dirty.

[David Zephyr]

22. Yep. And that is also a good thing.

Thanks glitch for mentioning the banks. Here's the story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101129/tc_afp/useconomybankingwikileaks_20101129233907

[glitch]

46. And the rhetoric against him is ramped up quite a few notches.

Heard Eric Holder on http://www.democracynow.org/shows/2010/11/30 this morning say they are looking into criminal espionage.

The owners are no longer amused.

[David Zephyr]

39. Let's hope not, but your concern is valid.

I mean this young man is playing David with a slingshot to thousands of Goliaths. I share your concern for his safety, Rage for Order.

[Octafish]

2. Singlehandedly did the work Corporate McPravda's supposed to do.

...In so doing, he's applied the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America into practice as a basic human right that is valid globally.

[Swamp Rat]

12. Yes INDEED, compay!

:thumbsup:



:hi: Hola dude. :D

[David Zephyr]

20. Swamp Rat.

You are so out there and have always been. It's really disturbing seeing how "we" excuse bad behavior when it's done by "our" side, and go batshit crazy when it was done on their side.

[Swamp Rat]

23. I hear you man, and I'll keep reccing your posts and those of others like Octafish.

Gotta keep ourselves above the chatter of the paid shills and masochist sycophants.

As my mom used to say: The squeaky mouse gets the cheese! :D

[David Zephyr]

19. Honored to have you post in my thread, Octafish.

You've been a wikileaker for years. :)

[ConsAreLiars]

36. Indeed

Octafish has the very uncommon ability to distinguish between info and disinfo. And when spreading disinfo is the main way the PTB criminals hide, that is job #1 for any who don't want to get played. The rest, deservedly, get regarded as stupid.

[Imajika]

4. Assange is a dirtbag..

Nothing good will come from any of these leaks. The only people who will be prosecuted for anything are Manning, at some point Assange, and anyone else that leaked classified/secret US government information to this site. Manning will likely go to prison for the rest of his life, and hopefully we catch up with Assange and arrest him before some other intelligence service puts a bullet through his head. These leaks are embarrassing and damaging to the United States - mostly because now our contacts throughout the world will be afraid to talk to us and our own diplomats will be less likely to give candid information to our leaders. These leaks expose no criminal activity, they will not "bring down the American empire" as some dreamers seem to think, and will end up causing MORE secrecy rather than less.

Damaging President Obama's diplomatic and foreign policy is not a good thing, and I am quite disappointed to see so many people here cheering it on.

The idea that every diplomatic cable and discussion should be public is just stupid. Anyone who thinks this is completely ignorant of how the real world works. Hell, everything that is said within tight knit families isn't even aired publicly.

[The_Commonist]

7. So, in other words...

You "like governmental dark deeds done in secret," and are "comfortable with transnational corporate crimes done in secret," probably "believe that collusion between the most powerful and privileged at the expense of everyone else on the planet is a good thing," and therefore you "correctly despise this man."

Got it!

[HEyHEY]

30. No, he's saying that these cables, many of which are useless....

Have now made it harder to get real business done and will result in even more secreacy from governments.

[krabigirl]

8. Scary how so many people here just worship authority!

[Marvinio]

9. If Bush were President you would not be angry

I guarantee it.

[Swamp Rat]

13. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

You just might be right.... maybe not about this poster, but there are quite a few sycophant bootlickers on the Intertubes.

[David Zephyr]

15. Welcome to the DU, Marvinio.

We need your voice. :hi:

[Imajika]

17. There is some truth in that...

Not going to lie, part of me would be pleased to watch Bush and his administration squirm.

I hope the reasonable/rational side of me would have, even then, realized that releasing a bunch of diplomatic cables just, well, makes diplomacy that much harder.

Nothing good is going to come of this. Nothing.

edited for spelling

[LostInAnomie]

11. Best post I've seen all day.

Assange is not someone that should be praised. He is a slimy opportunist that is actively seeking to harm the US. The info that he has produced is fairly weak tea and will only serve to hamper the actual progress that could have been made through diplomatic efforts.

The people on here that are drooling over the feverish fantasy of bringing down the US have no clue how diplomacy works in the world. You have to actually have people willing to talk openly with you. With Assange leaking what is said in confidence, just what kind of discussion do they think will be had from now on?

[Imajika]

21. Exactly...

This just makes the delicate art of diplomacy that much harder.

It would appear that many people here simply don't live in the real world and have no actual understanding of how important confidences are in diplomacy.

This just makes foreign countries, contacts and diplomats that much less likely to talk to us. It also makes it more likely our own diplomats will be more tight lipped and not pass on important information to our leaders (Hillary, Obama, etc).

In the end, this will just produce MORE secrecy, not less.

For a forum that believes diplomacy trumps chest thumping and military action, it is curious that so many people here would want to damage our ability to conduct effective diplomacy.

[eilen]

43. If you think Manning is the only leaker you are

fooling yourself. These leaks have come from people who are tired of the bullshit, tired of people losing their lives for corporations under the guise of "protecting America."

They are tired of lies, why aren't you?

[xiamiam]

5. much respect for Assange. nt

[David Zephyr]

32. While others talk, he acts.

Courageous. Much respect from me, too, xiamiam

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

6. I prefer my person of the year to not be alleged rapists and molesters. It's strange, I know.

[Marvinio]

10. Who did Assange rape or "molest"?

What does molesting mean?

[xiamiam]

27. you really believe that?

[HEyHEY]

29. Well, I'm not going to disregard it straight off.

[eilen]

44. Like Scott Ritter?

These are common charges that governments use to try and discredit people.

[sabrina 1]

49. I expect persons who expose war criminals etc. to be smeared

especially after reading the CIA memo that planned on smearing him posted on Wikileaks several months ago.

They're slipping. First they plan to smear him and then they do, AFTER we read their plans.

[northernlights]

14. how dare he expose our coups in South America

for all the world to see. It's just sooooo embarrassing. :sarcasm:

[David Zephyr]

33. How dare he expose truth!

He's amazing. And northernlights, you point to just another of the chapters this brave young man is writing.

[bemildred]

16. K&R. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. But..but..some think that holding the bosses accountable is very, very, naughty. K&R.

"But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing." Thomas Paine

[David Zephyr]

26. Thomas Paine indeed.

Fantastic quotation. :)

[yurbud]

24. ''ripped the scab off the lie'' great line

I'm still waiting for the dumps on who the lies are on the behalf of--that's when the shit will really hit the fan.

[David Zephyr]

34. The shit is certainly hitting the fan and he's letting the entire world smell their deceit.

The shit was always there, he just turned the fan on...and everyone in power is offended.

[XemaSab]

25. There is a strong argument to be made for this

n/t

[HEyHEY]

28. I'll wait til after the rape trial.

Not saying I think he did it or didn't do it. But, I want to see that dealt with before I hoist him on any shoulders.

[sabrina 1]

51. What would that have to do, even if it wasn't a smear, with

the facts revealed in these documents? Did the U.S. help the coup in Honduras? Would Assange being a criminal change the facts?

You DO know that Wikileaks posted a memo from the CIA splanning to smear Assange as a way to discredit Wikileaks a few months ago, don't you? I think the world is laughing at how stupid it was to actually do it AFTER their plans to do so were already known.

Most people know how the CIA works. Around the world they are known as 'Murder Inc.'. It was extremely courageous of Assange to release those documents knowing who he was dealing with.

[HEyHEY]

53. Let's see it go through court.

That's all I'm saying.

[Jefferson23]

31. Hands down is right. K&R for Assange and may he stay safe. n/t

[David Zephyr]

40. Apparently, he's going after the banks next.

May he stay safe as you say.

[Divine Discontent]

35. it will be quite interesting to see how this man's story progresses, to say the least. n/t

[laughingliberal]

37. K & R nt

[Norrin Radd]

38. kr

[avaistheone1]

41. That a rather Bond photo of him too.

A little rumpled, but he still has an edge.

[David Zephyr]

48. It's a Bond like story.

He's actually taken the decision making of what makes news that all the rest of the media follow with away from Roger Ailes at Fox.

[eilen]

42. He should have won the Nobel Peace Prize

not Obama. Or at least Time Magazine Person of the Year.

Anyway, he's hot, he's smart, he's an Xer and he has balls. If I were only a few years younger....

I think he represents the future of activism. Seeing how all they gotta do is send in Blackwater to sonic boom/taser/beat the hell out of our street protesting asses and haul us all off to an undisclosed location in the name of "Homeland Security" these days.

[darkstar3]

45. Why?

What did he do?

Acquire secret information in order to shine light onto government acts being performed in the dark? Nope, that was someone with access, not him.
Post that information on the Wikileaks website for all to see? Doubtful, as he's not the only contributor to the site, nor the only administrator, and he's on the run.

In fact, all we KNOW Assange has done is setup a website and then paint a target on his back and act like a self-righteous and tragic hero. The risky work of acquisition and the necessary work of publication were done by others.

Should a man of the year be the internet equivalent of a rodeo clown? Should a man of the year have rape allegations hanging over his head? Should a man of the year be so self-righteous?

I don't think so.

[seabeyond]

47. nope, lost me to his own self interest, greedy choice with this last one. nt

[Major Hogwash]

50. K&R just for making them shake in their boots.

Watching them run for cover was good enough for me to vote for him.

[jotsy]

52. Enthusiastic agreement here.

Proudly rec'd.