Assange FULL SPEECH- from the Embassy Balcony

[Ichingcarpenter]

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Julian Assange makes his first public appearance in two months, ever since he took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. The WikiLeaks founder was granted political asylum on Thursday -- a decision that ignited a wave of international responses, with the UK and Sweden opposing the verdict and Latin American countries strongly supporting Ecuador's move.

[tama]

1. Good speach n/t

[xiamiam]

2. first amendment before political party or candidate

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[jerseyjack]

3. Sommafabitch. He speaks English.

I expected he would be speaking Arabic, Red Chinese or Rushin.

[Plucketeer]

4. The people who spend OUR monies

(actually, flex our Bejing credit cards) - people that WE elected to represent US - they have NO rights to keep anything secret from us as they (supposedly) go about doing OUR business. It's HIGH TIME we reminded them of this contract. It's HIGH TIME they were held to it. Assange & Manning ARE heros - heros for those who value truth and accountability.

[freshwest]

9. +1

[Comrade_McKenzie]

5. True hero. nt

[eShirl]

7. first impressions go both ways

[freshwest]

8. Yup, and I just got one there. Standard slur.

[sabrina 1]

10. An excellent speech. The reading of the list of countries that have stood up

against Britain's threat against the Ecuadoran Embassy was impressive.

The old Western Colonialists, with their wars and brutality and hypocritical claims of democracy, are being left behind, isolated from the rest of the world. The US was given good advice by Assange. We could really be the shining light leading the world on matters of Human Rights, influencing our allies to follow a path of real democracy instead of supporting Human Rights Abusers, like Bahrain, Uzbekistan among others.

But things are changing and other regions of the world are refusing to be 'colonies' of the West, as Correa told Britain yesterday, reminding them they are no longer in control of sovereign nations.

[think]

12. +1

[pam4water]

11. K&R

[JDPriestly]

13. Great speech!

[onwardsand upwards]

14. A global call

Assange and Wikileaks transcend anything national and remind us that the 1%, and their abuses, do not recognize boundaries.

Ironically the antiquated structure of "nations", which mainly serves to restrict poor people to the bantustans that we call "third world countries", has actually protected someone from the power at the top.

The people of Ecuador have shown true heroism in the face of the monster that stalks us. They will, no doubt, be punished for their disobedience. They deserve our gratitude and whatever we can do to protect them from the onslaught that is being concocted in the depths of the White House.

Assange himself, and Bradley Manning, risk the modern equivalent of crucification for their personal heroism.

In "western" countries, we have another antiquated structure that the 1% want us to believe is completely impotent: representative democracy. We have members of parliament, congressmen, senators, and the like, who are "supposed" to represent the people from the districts that they come from. (Yuk-yuk-yuk!) Now is the time to remind them what they are "supposed" to be doing. Call them up, write them letters, demand meetings and explanations, occupy their time!!!

The monster can be defeated, if we all pull together as a team.