Gotta Admit... I'm Pretty Baffled By The Split And Depth Of Feeling Re:The Assange/WikiLeaks Story

[JDPriestly]

142. 1960, Female, Strong supporter of First Amendment Rights

The Espionage Act of 1917:

(a) Whoever, for the purpose of obtaining information respecting the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information is to be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation, . . . .

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/793

I personally think that Assange had not intent or reason to believe that the information he published would "be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation."

I think he just thought it was the truth about events that had occurred -- or supposition about events that had occurred. I think he thought of it as truth that had been suppressed. I do not think he had any intent to injure the US or to give advantage to any foreign nation. I think he is rather idealistic, perhaps foolishly so, and that he was publishing all kinds of "classified" or secret information from all kinds of sources because he believes in openness. I don't think he had any intention to hurt anything except excessive secrecy, lies and the unwarranted conceit of leaders that pretend to be things that they are not.

So, I really don't know what crime he is supposed to have committed other than allegedly trying to have sex with a woman who was asleep. And that would be difficult to prove.