Assange: The Patriot?

Assange: The Patriot?

Julian Assange is no terrorist or threat to America but rather he fulfills the American idealism. America was built on freedom of press and speech, and Assange is merely giving the American people and people of other countries the truth.

Assange has been called everything from “hi-tech terrorist” to “global threat” but why is it that no one seems to be calling him patriotic, at least under the American idealism? –Alright I agree, maybe patriotic is a bit much but are his actions not what our country was founded on and what people come to America in hope of?--> freedom. Just recently the Supreme Court passed a ruling 8 to 1 in favor of anti-gay activist, allowing them to hold public rallies against gay soldiers. This radical group has gone to multiple military funeral services to praise the death of recently deceased gay soldiers. The supreme court did not pass this movement because the radical groups actions are right, but rather because freedom of speech is one of the foundational pillars of America. The same goes for Assange, in the aspect that what he is doing and has done is an American right.

This freedom America was built on has been stripped away from much of modern day America, with the government withholding information from its inhabitants. This information being withheld leads to actions Assange has taken, to make those who are entitled to know what is happening in and with ones country available. In so many words Assange is a vigilante, one who did so by giving what most of the American public wants, information and incite. Assange challenged a broken system, a corrupt one that needs to be held accountable and in check.

Are there other ways this check could be executed?...Yes. However Assange has made such waves within the media and our government that he has absolutely achieved what was set out, to make people aware. Bringing these topics into the public and creating knowledge in order to hopefully repair the corrupt system. When reading about Assange and seeing what he has done I can't help but compare him to a pop culture icon, Batman.

Assange is "The Dark Knight" He creates this sense of commotion, he gives the people what they want but not in a manner in which is often appropriate. Assamges ‘mask’ is Wiki leaks, however in recent times he has been identified a prosecuted, but for what? For turning things upside down and empowering people with knowledge and truth, even if that truth isn't a positive. These defaults and holes in the American government cannot be filled by prosecuting Assange, although those running our country seem to think so. Attacking and prosecuting Assange personally due to actions not regarding the Wiki leaks uproar shows the fear he has instilled in those who know the truth, those who run our country.

Aside from altering what people know about our government and its secret actions, Assange has forever altered the future. His actions served as a stepping stone in the leaking of information on the world wide accessible web. He has opened the flood gates of information that is rightfully the peoples, creating a sense of fear of the unknown that the government is keeping from its citizens. Assange is guilty of providing confidential information to people, but he is not responsible for the actions within that information, and the consequence should not be shed onto him.

The consequences should be shed onto those who have made these poor decisions and decided to keep them withheld from the public, and as Assange explains in a video explanation on the leak of the Afghanistan war logs that these leaks merely ‘show the true nature of the war’. His decision to publish the information he did on wiki leaks is deeply rooted in good journalism as he says in the video:

“If journalism is good, it is controversial by is nature. It is the role of good journalism to take on powerful abusers, and when powerful abusers are taken on there is always a back reaction. So we see that controversy and believe there is a good thing to engage in. In this case it will show the true nature of this war and then the public from Afghanistan and other nations can see what’s really going on and take steps to address the problems.”

So what is to happen now?

If this country hopes to keep believers in the American idealism then the media and the governing body in place needs to recognize that this is the American right to incite. we deserve to know what is happening and the only true people responsible for this controversy are those in power, our own ruling powers.