The failure by journalists to mount a campaign to free Julian Assange, or expose the vicious smear campaign against him, is one more catastrophic and self-defeating blunder by the news media.
The ones who abandoned Julian aren’t journalists, Chris. They are Mockingbird propagandists.
You, Matt, and the other individuals standing up for Julian and the persecuted freedoms he represents are a dying breed, but it is my hope that your courageous examples will spark a renaissance of genuine journalism.
Chris, I recently dedicated my poem “Ode to a Whistleblower” to Daniel Ellsberg and Julian Assange, and I drew heavily from your extensive coverage of Julian’s case for the accompanying article:
Love Chris to pieces a favorite of mind since Occupy and far ahead of popular culture in his vision but not a dying breed except for legacy names on the resume. but a species of truth tellers raging back from extinction. Watch the Scheerpost video and *note the support for Julian in Australia now over 80% of Aussies want him home and view him as heroic.. Stela had a private audience w the Pope..
Washington Mafia has a globe full of enemies and corp "news" is dangerously close to having its disapproval dip into Congress territory in single digits.. scamdemic turned the tables now its ours to lose.. voices like yours emerged from far reaches of cyberspace as constellations of alternatives to central mantras bringing a new ecosystem of learning into being.
It also awakened a huge swath if the globe to the lies & frauds foisted upon us from fascist dictators posing as democratic representatives elected to be Public Servants but exposed as corp tools or worse. It is dire but my optimism has never been higher & thanks for your voice in the chorus!! <3
These are not journalists, but glorified fluffers to power, complete with fancy degrees, or Renaissance courtiers, but without the colorful outfits.
These so-called journalists sleep soundly at night, knowing that they never will utter or even think so much as a symbol that their masters would not approve of. Noam Chomsky's epic takedown of Andrew Marr was entirely on point.
Beat me to it my thoughts exactly these presstitutes have no claim to membership in The Fourth Estate nor any standing with claims to free speech or democracy. In the recent London event w Stela Assange & Matt Kennard posted at Scheerpost they agree its careerism not evil but I disagree. In my book the quote about evil persisting w too many silent is enough to say self serving comforts & cowardice get no absolution... eff em all!!
During an argument with a Colorado Public Radio reporter, in a bar, in Denver, in ~2009, I grilled her on the failure of the fourth estate in the US, re the Iraq War, the NYT, Valerie Plame, etc.
Her final blurted response: We knew we were going to war, whether people supported it or not, so we thought it would be better for the country, if the people supported it.
Does that sound like a CIA-coached talking point? If we were going to war, regardless of public opinion, in the nappies of the early aughts, what shreds of democracy are left to save now?
Obama didn’t prosecute Bush, nor did Congress even bother to question him, over actually endangering the life of at least one CIA agent, with a punitive information leak. There’s more evidence against Bush and Cheney for treason or espionage, in that regard, than against Snowden or even Assange, as he’s being prosecuted as if he were a citizen. Even Reagan had to profess that he “couldn’t recall” participating in the Iran-Contra scandal on CSPAN.
The contrast is stark between myself at 15 sitting in a NYC subway car reading the Times on my way to school -- believing in a functional Fourth Estate -- and the sickening feeling I get now from reading Matt, Stella's ad Chris' words.
Vanguard is the number one investor in the New York Times and The Washington Post. It is also a top owner of the weapons industry, big pharma, etc. Vanguard interlocks with many other corporations by owning stock in the companies and having interlocking boards of directors. These companies have the bulk of the wealth in the Western world, so they finance the political campaigns of the politicians that they want to get elected. This mega-conglomerate owns most, if not all infrastructural industries.
The newspapers, broadcast media and other forms of major public outreach are all owned by the same interests. Reporters work for the same people who own the weapons industry and control the politicians that lead us into war. It is a well oiled machine.
Chris, please take the time to investigate this, and use your platform to inform people! Please research this network. It is easy. I have done so with my laptop computer. Work to have the Sherman Antitrust Act enforced.
I don't know what to say except to be really terrified. A lot of us know we don't get the proper news but it seems people don't care. I have noticed The Guardian becoming more mainstream in the last few years and to be honest can't be bothered to read it.
I tried to bring up Julian Assange on WAPO under requests but so far nothing has been said.
I believe sharing this report to help the awakening of the people will help. And then massive demonstrations, boycotts, strikes and any other actions that will convince the present and future politicians that we had enough.
Many years ago there were those who warned against the corporatization of the media and now we see the end result.
Here in Canada the integrity of the media suffered an early death as we are a colonized country and content is shaved in service to the empire next door, as have our political parties been stripped of their identities. Now all our federal parties are a chorus of war mongers on the public dole.
America is lucky enough to have independent outlets speaking truth to power, also there is an international network of journalists getting the job done. They need our support in every way as they are the emerging alternative.
Not only have journalists abandoned Assange we the public have stood idly by and watched the collapse of a key democratic institution-free of the press. Assange won't be the last victim.
The resurrected fascism of the Western elites appears to have an unstoppable momentum?
Like all things neoliberal the Western media has been "privatized" is service to the despotic elites. The public must reclaim it.
stop it just stop it. 95% of media is owned by 6 corporations. those corporations are the propaganda ministry of the fascist empire. they have been for a very long time. you cannot say journalists "slit their own throats" that is a ridiculous statement anyway you look at it. the journalists who are covering julians case like you, matt taibbi, glen greenwald etc. are the investigative journalists. those working for the lame stream media are merely scribes writing what either they are told or writing what they know will ensure a paycheck. this is 5th generation warfare. it is all about the narrative. he who controls the narrative controls the mind. he who controls the mind is the most powerful.
so please stop saying they are "slitting their own throats" they are doing exactly what they are paid to do. as long as they do they will pay for the mortgage, kids school, kids braces, dance lessons, a college fund, retirement etc. all the while winning "journalism awards"
Yes, but the throat they are slitting is the one of the profession of journalism itself. Eventually nobody will believe any journalist. I believe that is the issue in the report.
I wrote a song for Julian and sent it to my Australian musician mates to play publicly at gigs..no response..even George Galloway in Moats only let me get half wat through it and then being hung up on..I went to my local government representative Tony Bourke leader or the House of Representatives for the current labour government in power in Australia at the moment. I grilled him on Julian Assange just like I told him i was going to...despite this during our discussion he still could not bring to mind "Chelsea Manning's" name ..this really showed me the government laisse attitufe to Julian's case. He used phrases such as "cant be saying anything that will harm Julian's case or look like we are telling the Americans what to do " when asked was he optimistic of Julian's release he said he was "hopeful"
It seems to me that other countries are more vocal and active than Australia which is a country that prides itself on "Mateship" and standing up for your mates makes me want to cry.
If Julian is hoping our government is working for him after we just bought 6 Nuclear armed submarines at the cost of 368 billion dollars from USA & UK governments and giving Ukraine an additional 110 million then I wish him the luck of the Irish.
Tony Bourke when asked by me to at least ease the horrible conditions in which Julian is being detained he told me Stephen Smith ( a weaselly looking lawyer from the labour government of the 80s acting as High Commissioner in UK was acting on it ..I later found out he is also an Albanese appointee to a mates job with the USA on military strategic policy ..so join the dots there.
I sincerely hope and pray for Julians imminent release.
Think for a moment of the years that have been stolen from Julian Assange by various governments. And then look at the US government's reluctance to use the same tactics against Donald Trump. The contrast is striking and sickening. Assange deserves support and respect for exposing the crimes of Empire.
Soon! Very soon our democracy will be lost to totalitarianism. Mainstream media is simply government biased reporting. Like Trump. You lie long enough and begin to believe it as the truth
Thank you Chris! I encourage everyone to watch the panel discussion, link provided early in post. When asked how people can help, Stella brought up the Free Assange Emergency Tool Kit - DontExtraditeAssange.com.
Look what happened to us during covid! the censorship, lies and abuse of power 😷 💉
As a result of one of several censorship cases, the federal government is currently blocked from continuing to violate the First Amendment.
It's not too late to help Julian. It's not too late.
The ones who abandoned Julian aren’t journalists, Chris. They are Mockingbird propagandists.
You, Matt, and the other individuals standing up for Julian and the persecuted freedoms he represents are a dying breed, but it is my hope that your courageous examples will spark a renaissance of genuine journalism.
Chris, I recently dedicated my poem “Ode to a Whistleblower” to Daniel Ellsberg and Julian Assange, and I drew heavily from your extensive coverage of Julian’s case for the accompanying article:
• “Ode to a Whistleblower” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/ode-to-a-whistleblower)
Love Chris to pieces a favorite of mind since Occupy and far ahead of popular culture in his vision but not a dying breed except for legacy names on the resume. but a species of truth tellers raging back from extinction. Watch the Scheerpost video and *note the support for Julian in Australia now over 80% of Aussies want him home and view him as heroic.. Stela had a private audience w the Pope..
Washington Mafia has a globe full of enemies and corp "news" is dangerously close to having its disapproval dip into Congress territory in single digits.. scamdemic turned the tables now its ours to lose.. voices like yours emerged from far reaches of cyberspace as constellations of alternatives to central mantras bringing a new ecosystem of learning into being.
It also awakened a huge swath if the globe to the lies & frauds foisted upon us from fascist dictators posing as democratic representatives elected to be Public Servants but exposed as corp tools or worse. It is dire but my optimism has never been higher & thanks for your voice in the chorus!! <3
Fun flashback Mike Rartner Julian's lawyer Chris mentions in London event in one of my best Loraxlive shows Feb 2013 https://anonymous-france.info/michael-ratner-vanishing-rule-of-law-in-usa.html
Beautiful poem. The ending is sublime:
"We will trill your truth.
We will warble your song.
We will whistle your secret
to the world, until there are
too many of us to silence."
I wish "we" will continue supporting the whistle blowers and retract any allegiance from those guilty politicians.
Thank you so much, Julio, and I sincerely hope it can be used to help Julian and other brave journalists and whistleblowers like Edward Snowden.
I like your poem.
🙏
These are not journalists, but glorified fluffers to power, complete with fancy degrees, or Renaissance courtiers, but without the colorful outfits.
These so-called journalists sleep soundly at night, knowing that they never will utter or even think so much as a symbol that their masters would not approve of. Noam Chomsky's epic takedown of Andrew Marr was entirely on point.
Beat me to it my thoughts exactly these presstitutes have no claim to membership in The Fourth Estate nor any standing with claims to free speech or democracy. In the recent London event w Stela Assange & Matt Kennard posted at Scheerpost they agree its careerism not evil but I disagree. In my book the quote about evil persisting w too many silent is enough to say self serving comforts & cowardice get no absolution... eff em all!!
https://scheerpost.com/2023/07/08/video-the-death-of-journalism/
During an argument with a Colorado Public Radio reporter, in a bar, in Denver, in ~2009, I grilled her on the failure of the fourth estate in the US, re the Iraq War, the NYT, Valerie Plame, etc.
Her final blurted response: We knew we were going to war, whether people supported it or not, so we thought it would be better for the country, if the people supported it.
Does that sound like a CIA-coached talking point? If we were going to war, regardless of public opinion, in the nappies of the early aughts, what shreds of democracy are left to save now?
Obama didn’t prosecute Bush, nor did Congress even bother to question him, over actually endangering the life of at least one CIA agent, with a punitive information leak. There’s more evidence against Bush and Cheney for treason or espionage, in that regard, than against Snowden or even Assange, as he’s being prosecuted as if he were a citizen. Even Reagan had to profess that he “couldn’t recall” participating in the Iran-Contra scandal on CSPAN.
The contrast is stark between myself at 15 sitting in a NYC subway car reading the Times on my way to school -- believing in a functional Fourth Estate -- and the sickening feeling I get now from reading Matt, Stella's ad Chris' words.
Mr. Chris Hedges,
Vanguard is the number one investor in the New York Times and The Washington Post. It is also a top owner of the weapons industry, big pharma, etc. Vanguard interlocks with many other corporations by owning stock in the companies and having interlocking boards of directors. These companies have the bulk of the wealth in the Western world, so they finance the political campaigns of the politicians that they want to get elected. This mega-conglomerate owns most, if not all infrastructural industries.
The newspapers, broadcast media and other forms of major public outreach are all owned by the same interests. Reporters work for the same people who own the weapons industry and control the politicians that lead us into war. It is a well oiled machine.
Chris, please take the time to investigate this, and use your platform to inform people! Please research this network. It is easy. I have done so with my laptop computer. Work to have the Sherman Antitrust Act enforced.
I don't know what to say except to be really terrified. A lot of us know we don't get the proper news but it seems people don't care. I have noticed The Guardian becoming more mainstream in the last few years and to be honest can't be bothered to read it.
I tried to bring up Julian Assange on WAPO under requests but so far nothing has been said.
Keep talking to us.
Thank you.
What they’re doing to Julian breaks my heart wide open
I have cried many many tears for this HERO
He’s amazing and brave - and this situation alone makes it clear we are in the grips of world totalitarianism
How on EARTH can we win?
I used to have hope, but it’s fading
I cry a lot now
This honest reporting brought more despair and tears
I want to see a way out SO MUCH
But ...
Truly
How?
WHEN??
WHAT can be DONE?????
😰
I believe sharing this report to help the awakening of the people will help. And then massive demonstrations, boycotts, strikes and any other actions that will convince the present and future politicians that we had enough.
Many years ago there were those who warned against the corporatization of the media and now we see the end result.
Here in Canada the integrity of the media suffered an early death as we are a colonized country and content is shaved in service to the empire next door, as have our political parties been stripped of their identities. Now all our federal parties are a chorus of war mongers on the public dole.
America is lucky enough to have independent outlets speaking truth to power, also there is an international network of journalists getting the job done. They need our support in every way as they are the emerging alternative.
Not only have journalists abandoned Assange we the public have stood idly by and watched the collapse of a key democratic institution-free of the press. Assange won't be the last victim.
The resurrected fascism of the Western elites appears to have an unstoppable momentum?
Like all things neoliberal the Western media has been "privatized" is service to the despotic elites. The public must reclaim it.
The only purpose of censorship is to hide the truth.
'Yo mismo" excuse my ignorance but could you tell me who is the person in the picture and what is the gift?
stop it just stop it. 95% of media is owned by 6 corporations. those corporations are the propaganda ministry of the fascist empire. they have been for a very long time. you cannot say journalists "slit their own throats" that is a ridiculous statement anyway you look at it. the journalists who are covering julians case like you, matt taibbi, glen greenwald etc. are the investigative journalists. those working for the lame stream media are merely scribes writing what either they are told or writing what they know will ensure a paycheck. this is 5th generation warfare. it is all about the narrative. he who controls the narrative controls the mind. he who controls the mind is the most powerful.
so please stop saying they are "slitting their own throats" they are doing exactly what they are paid to do. as long as they do they will pay for the mortgage, kids school, kids braces, dance lessons, a college fund, retirement etc. all the while winning "journalism awards"
Yes, but the throat they are slitting is the one of the profession of journalism itself. Eventually nobody will believe any journalist. I believe that is the issue in the report.
I wrote a song for Julian and sent it to my Australian musician mates to play publicly at gigs..no response..even George Galloway in Moats only let me get half wat through it and then being hung up on..I went to my local government representative Tony Bourke leader or the House of Representatives for the current labour government in power in Australia at the moment. I grilled him on Julian Assange just like I told him i was going to...despite this during our discussion he still could not bring to mind "Chelsea Manning's" name ..this really showed me the government laisse attitufe to Julian's case. He used phrases such as "cant be saying anything that will harm Julian's case or look like we are telling the Americans what to do " when asked was he optimistic of Julian's release he said he was "hopeful"
It seems to me that other countries are more vocal and active than Australia which is a country that prides itself on "Mateship" and standing up for your mates makes me want to cry.
If Julian is hoping our government is working for him after we just bought 6 Nuclear armed submarines at the cost of 368 billion dollars from USA & UK governments and giving Ukraine an additional 110 million then I wish him the luck of the Irish.
Tony Bourke when asked by me to at least ease the horrible conditions in which Julian is being detained he told me Stephen Smith ( a weaselly looking lawyer from the labour government of the 80s acting as High Commissioner in UK was acting on it ..I later found out he is also an Albanese appointee to a mates job with the USA on military strategic policy ..so join the dots there.
I sincerely hope and pray for Julians imminent release.
Thank you !! An incredible effort and synthesis.
We’re all journalists/the press now… besides, millionaire newsman just don’t have the hustle to find stories!
Think for a moment of the years that have been stolen from Julian Assange by various governments. And then look at the US government's reluctance to use the same tactics against Donald Trump. The contrast is striking and sickening. Assange deserves support and respect for exposing the crimes of Empire.
Soon! Very soon our democracy will be lost to totalitarianism. Mainstream media is simply government biased reporting. Like Trump. You lie long enough and begin to believe it as the truth
Truth. Tough to control people efficiently when they are allowed to hear and speak the truth.
Thank you Chris! I encourage everyone to watch the panel discussion, link provided early in post. When asked how people can help, Stella brought up the Free Assange Emergency Tool Kit - DontExtraditeAssange.com.
Look what happened to us during covid! the censorship, lies and abuse of power 😷 💉
As a result of one of several censorship cases, the federal government is currently blocked from continuing to violate the First Amendment.
It's not too late to help Julian. It's not too late.
Thank you Stephanie for the link. I just signed the petition