Assange Has Requested Political Asylum & Is Under Protection of Ecuardorian Embassy in London

[freshwest]

55. It is so different from our legal system where bail means charges; talking can be done on the phone.

I've been a fan of Assange on and off for a while. I've posted threads elsewhere about him for years. Not this thread, but this is one of his early quotes I cited:

Every release that we do of material has a second message... If you engage in immoral, in unjust behavior, it will be found out. ~ Julian Assange.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x4155#4155

So much has been brought to light through this organization. Most people here know all of this, but is just a small sample:

WikiLeaks cables: Iraq security firms operate 'mafia' to inflate prices

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/21/wikileaks-cables-iraq-security-firms

Of course there were the releases Manning is suffering for now. I felt he was used by all sides in this. And Sweden seems both friend and foe to Assange:

Important Swedish documentary on Wikileaks (in English)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/12/13/928781/-Important-Swedish-documentary-on-Wikileaks-in-English

I've watched these and appreciate someone finally telling the news that corporate media refuses to report about the serious things going on in our world.

Which definitely needs to happen since the corporate take over of mainstream media, they'll only tell us what they're paid to say. Every single word, both said and unsaid, is paid for. The Swedish system appears much different than ours:

Rape claim against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange withdrawn

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/7957882/Rape-claim-against-Wikileaks-founder-Julian-Assange-withdrawn.html

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in limbo as supporters seek bail money

JULIAN Assange remained behind bars in London today as supporters scrambled to raise £200,000 ($316,000) in cash so he can be released on bail.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-in-limbo-as-supporters-seek-bail-money/comments-fn775xjq-1225971287826

I hear you saying the problem had to do with the embassy. It seems someone is overreaching there. Many famous persons have come out on all sides of this:

Why I'm Posting Bail Money for Julian Assange (A statement from Michael Moore)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/why-im-posting-bail-money_b_796319.html

Assange had to stay with friends in the UK out in the country:

Christmas With Julian Assange. A Newsweek photo gallery of Julian's Christmas

A real Newsweek photo gallery of Julian's Christmas, with Assange as Santa, feeding chickens, posing next to Christmas tree and opening cards, and more. Check out sack he is carrying as Santa, with note that he has been very, very good "most of the time."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/galleries/2010/12/30/exclusive-photos-of-wikileaks-julian-assange.html

The life and times of one of the best known people in the world. The reports of asylum haven't worked out. Moore details his opinion below. Assange's legal situation IMO, is an example of an empire grasping too far:

It's Up to You, Rafael

http://www.facebook.com/mmflint/posts/10150872297331857

The most interesting I ever posted in relation to Assange and Wikileaks is this piece:

If you rule by code you will fall by code: the philosophy of Wikileaks

...Humans are animals of protocol. Our behavior is determined by rules - conscious and not. Until recently, the protocol was an instrument of hegemonic power: the rule-ing elites were makers and masters of the protocols that were used to control the people. The writing and policing of protocol was reserved for the elite.

The Internet today is the place through which humanity is coming to realise that liberty will require that we – the collective we – take control of the building and re-design of protocol. Wikileaks is a real milestone in that process...

The message sent by Wikileaks to governments is this: “you are using the digital to organise the world and to control the people; but that means that the people will also have access to your mechanisms of control, the code and the data; the people will be able to hack you – to uncover and subvert your hegemonic uses.” The only way governments could stop this democratising force would be to imprison the coders – a temptation some seem to be tempted by...

http://www.opendemocracy.net/print/57240

I've posted a lot more on this but we all seem to be involved, in one way or the other. Perhaps no so much to fear as we do at times. Strange creature, the internet. Nice to see you here again, EFarrari.