US politicians on both sides, including the most 'liberal', mouth platitudes on free speech:“I think that the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable. They can begin to think for themselves.”
- Barrack Obama 17 November 2009
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said on 21 January 2010 -
“Now, in many respects, information has never been so free. .. And even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people discover new facts and making governments more accountable. .. Some countries have erected electronic barriers that prevent their people from accessing portions of the world’s networks. ... Information freedom supports the peace and security that provides a foundation for global progress."
Now they try to silence Wikileaks and condemn Julian Assange, some even calling for him to be assassinated. Many lawyers and others have challenged Julia Gillard in an open letter to support Assange as an Australian and condemn the threats to do him harm.
Jaqi Pascoe called for Assange to be Australian of the Year and now he has been named Crikey's Readers' Choice Person of the Year and Le Monde Man of the Year. Recently he was awarded a gold medal by the Sydney Peace Foundation.
The alleged sexual offences appear to be politically instigated. He might be polyamorous or dishonest in his personal relationships, but his behaviour as reported would not breach Australian law. In fact he has not been charged with any offence in Swedish law either.
There are parallels in this hypocrisy to St Kilda FC threatening to prosecute the 17 year old girl who posted snaps of posing naked footballers on her Facebook. The footage of the poor 'maligned' footballers is close to vomitous .
