The 2011 TIME 100: Firth, Cameron and others get peers’ praise. Julian Assange gets Germaine Greer’s angry, uninformed jeers

That the TIME Magazine might not be impartial is no big news – after all it’s part of the CNN empire, long known for being close to the US establishment – but that it might carry out such blatant acts of partial journalism is something we transparency people take to heart.

One might wonder if the TIME list might be one-sided or at least ‘redacted’, as Bradley Manning, who scored more points than Julian Assange in the readers’ recent online poll, is not mentioned in the list of the 100 people just released yesterday. Then the proof of the hatred towards Assange is made clear by the article Germaine Greer, prominent feminist writer, wrote about Assange, who was included in the 2011 TIME 100 list.

Each entry in the final list – whether it is a celebrity, an activist, a footballer or a pop singer – was to be introduced by another personality, very often someone from the same industry. David Cameron received words of praise from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Colin Firth from Dame Helen Mirren, Gabrielle Cliffords from no less than Barack Obama and so forth.

All of the above linked by the undivided affection and admiration from the appointed writer. All of them apart from the Assange piece. Why didn’t TIME hire John Pilger, also Australian in case they wanted to keep the only similarity to the nationality, to write up the piece? Or even Daniel Ellsberg? Because they too are enemies of the establishment?

That Assange might not be widely liked is a well-known fact. He’s a bit of an acquired taste after all – or Marmite, if you like (either you love him or hate him). But what leaves us dumbfounded is how journalists and writers, even those renowned and revered like Germaine Greer, might resort to half-hatched jobs, poor in research, insight and capacity to see the person object of the piece from more than one point of view.

Let’s analyse the Greer piece. It doesn’t start well. She defines Julian Assange a ‘Muckraker’. Good, nothing is better than starting a piece by putting a negative label on someone you have probably not have met in person – or so we can assume.

She continues: ‘As long as he was an anonymous cybergeek, Julian Assange was a genius. Once he came in from cyberspace and set about the manipulation of media professionals, he was just another source, to be used and abused, diddled and discarded’

Assange has never manipulated the media. If he were, WikiLeaks would not have the huge number of media partners it currently does have (around 60 newspapers worldwide). Good old Greery must have read David Leigh’s aggressive Tweets and made assumptions as to the evil ways of l’Assange.

‘Assange, 39, did not choose to be the face of WikiLeaks’

He actually decided he would be the lightning bolt of the organisation – as he said in a few interviews. In addition, with his personality, who else can possibly be the face of the organisation?

‘It was decided that since he had less to lose than most of his anonymous co-geeks, having neither home nor chick nor child, he would be it’

He actually does have at least one confirmed child, Daniel, another highly intelligent and gifted individual. He might not have a relationship – we do not know with certainty and it is none of our business – but he does certainly have a close relationship with his mother, Christine, and many friends around the world who would be devastated at his untimely departure from this world. Therefore, to make him an unloved and unlovable person is very immature and speaks volumes of the understanding of human relationships in Greer’s psyche.

As for the chicks remark, how strange of a feminist to serve women with the same coin as served by men when expressing their rampant sexism. Unless it was an intentionally – but fallen flat – funny way from Greer to talk presumed Assangese?

‘Egregious to the last, he is convinced that his prosecution for rape in the Swedish courts was engineered by vengeful U.S. intelligence, unable to grasp the plain fact that his callous treatment made two women angry enough to seek redress’

Now, firstly there are no charges. The whole extradition saga centres on Swedish prosecutors wanting Assange for interrogation, as they’ve been unable to do so for several reasons (an initial interrogation was carried out though). Let’s not get into the conspiracy theories but let’s move on to the callous treatment Assange has apparently perpetrated. It’s been discussed many times by independent media how the accusations are, if looked at more attentively, baseless and possibly simply fruit of a disgruntled ex-lover, Miss A. Greer also ignores the fact that the two claimants were in cahoots to fleece as much money as possible off media with their story of ruined sexual integrity and trophy photos. In fact, in respect to this last item, Greer ignores that Miss A had taken pictures of naked Assange in her own bed during one of the alleged rapes. Maybe Greer should revise her own idea of rape. I don’t know of any rape victim stopping the ‘proceedings’ to amiably take pictures of their attacker. Maybe Greer does?

I wonder what the editorial choice behind this might have been. Did the meeting go along the lines of ‘Ok, if we really must feature this Assange guy, at least let’s do it a negative piece. Who hates Assange? Feminists? Yes, let’s pick one and let’s let her write whatever she wants, no need to edit or fact-check. After all it’s Assange we’re talking about, the guy who rapes girls, steals national security secrets and can’t dance’.

The mainstream media really do have to stop writing so shoddily. Can they at least keep up the standards of research by sticking to facts and checking their sources? We are not asking for them to turn into Assange admirers but for them to become a proper opponent – if they really aim at informing the masses on the evil of Assange and WikiLeaks, as they’re so intently doing.

As for la Greer, shame on you, Germaine. You’re more than free to offer your opinion but at least please get yourself acquainted with the subject you write about. Do real journalists a favour. Thank you and à bientôt.

Assange at Frontline and New Statesman whistleblowing debate

My report won’t be a full recount of the proceedings as these can be found quite profusely on the Internet now – both from major newspapers and activists, freelance media and WikiLeaks supporters. I will talk about what has stricken me during the debate – and afterwards: personal psychological considerations if you will.

Several people stood out for me during the debate. Julian Assange wasn’t in top form yet he was still inspirational, amusing at times – especially during the times he would interject and be sent back, like an unruly child, to his chair –, passionate and well, just himself.

The other people who emerged from the debate were, for all the good and bad reasons, Mehdi Hasan, from the New Statesman, who matched Assange’s passion, if not surpassed it; Paul Moore, whistleblower from the HBOS, and Douglas Murray from the Henry Jackson Society.

Paul Moore gave us the sentence that in my opinion encapsulates the whole function of whistleblowing, ‘We are transformed by truth’. I was so impressed by that, since truth is a major moving force in my life, that I felt I had to thank him for it only to be told that it was a sentence from the Bible. If only I read it I would have spared myself the embarrassment. Apart from my faux pas-inducing sentence, Moore possibly appeared the most emotional of the speakers, recounting with brutal honesty the effects of his whistleblowing and showed the real face of the whistleblower – not the one who tells on an organisation for a matter of personal vendetta –, a person with high values and morals who feels they cannot anymore live a life of lies. That was the most apt answer, especially with the tale of his problems with depression and suicidal thoughts following the ostracising from HBOS, to the opposition side’s conviction of whistleblowers as people who most times don’t know what they’re doing and after ruining an organisation go on live an easy life. The fact that Moore had brought one of his children along gave a more real dimension to his story. You could feel the pain Moore had felt – and possibly still feels today – brought on by these events. The fact that his daughter was such a sweet-natured woman made me wonder if whistleblowers are led by values of moral honesty, genuineness, courage and empathy that spread to all the aspects of their life – embracing their love for life and generosity towards society. Thinking of what Bradley Manning had told in one of his unfortunate chat conversations with Adrian Lamo, the fellow hacker who informed the FBI to Manning's cable leaking which caused him being detained as a political prisoner since last July 2010, this makes sense.

Something to ponder for the future.

I had not seen Douglas Murray from the Henry Jackson Society before but I must say he didn’t leave a positive impression. He seemed to frequently veer from the subject at hand by blowing attacks – or cheap shots if you will – against Assange which were both not in any shape or form the theme of the debate and full of wrong and misleading information such as the 'infamous' rumour produced by The Guardian that Assange was happy informants would die. Assange rightly put him in his place by inviting him to at least get the names of The Guardian journalists involved right before making any defamatory remarks. He also asked him if he wanted to join the queue of the organisations WikiLeaks was planning to sue, right after The Guardian. When reading this one might wonder if Murray had been sent by Davies and friends to avenge them for their ongoing feud with Assange and their defeat at the hands of Kristinn Hrafnsson at the SKUP Conference just a mere two weeks before.

Murray was conclusively the most 'vocal' of the speakers for the opposition: at times verging on bullish and patronising but again being put in his spot for not showing a great knowledge of the subject and just talking from hearsay. 

What I sensed from the clash of personalities is that while the people opposing whistleblowing do seem to have less intensity about them, less passion – and if they have any is misdirected (see Murray) –, and feel less the injustice perpetrated from the ‘authority’ the pro-whistleblowing faction seem to have more passion for life, a drive to live and see the truth actualised, right or wrong that this might be. This is not easy but they still strive for life and feel a higher communion with society and the people in it.

The debate ended on a high note when Murray again asked – inviting trouble for his side – why Assange believed to be better than most governments. From the second row a lady replied back, possibly exasperated by the umpteenth unnecessary attack from the bullish Murray, 'Because he is. That’s why!’. Words that every supporter in the audience wanted to shout. We thank you, Lady in the second row for saying what everybody had died to say for the previous two hours of debate. This proves that Assange's motto – ‘Courage is contagious’ - is right. As it should be.

I must say that in my personal acquaintance, even if limited, with the WikiLeaks staff and friends I have noticed nothing but friendliness, respectfulness, lack of condescension (the same can’t be said by The Guardian journalists, especially David Leigh who has many times insulted WikiLeaks supporters) and essentially a warm, open heart. Which I think you cannot not have when you so much suffer the consequences of brave, dangerous and life-affirming decisions.

Some pictures from me can be found here.

Julian Assange's life becomes a comic book

The Italian magazine L'Espresso, one of the newest additions to the WikiLeaks list of media publishers, has partnered with Colors, magazine for the Italian fashion house Benetton, to celebrate the anniversary of their 80th issue with a special comics edition dedicated to modern heroes of which Assange takes prime spot. The edition in fact presents his life through the arts of comics.

Is this the sign that Assange is breaking all conventions and is becoming a pop culture phenomenon? It might be. My hope is that people, or at least most people, will still see him for what he's trying to achieve and not for being the WikiLeaks 'rapist' guy.

After London and Paris, Los Angeles follows suit

And this time it's real. And damn stylish. Chicago is penned to be next.

London Demo in support of Bradley Manning

London Demo in support of Bradley Manning Demotix.com

I went to the demo today. It didn't have the highest attendance ever but considering the subject the turnout wasn't that bad either. Great atmosphere, nice people, many friends from the previous Julian Assange court hearing demo's, and some other new. Highlight of the day? Apart from the speeches and the saddening Manning's diary excerpts read out the best thing was with no doubt the wacky Imagine's rendition from one of the supporters. Up there with Friends Phoebe's Smelly Cat.

~Introduction~

Better to clarify few things before going on to starting this blog. This blog has no presumption of revealing the Truth. No one possesses the truth as such. What this blog is about, apart from journalling my thoughts on several subjects, from my course studies to what I see in the world around us, is centred on what I define by journey through the truth. Brought on by my current counselling course, it’s the idea that we are journeying and exploring through our own personal truths with the ultimate scope of reaching our potential and becoming who we truly are and therefore being true to ourselves. ‘Shedding the mask’, if you like. I believe our current society, more visibly than previous ones, is losing track of what we are, burdened as we are with expectations of what we should be and how we should act and feel, that going back to the ‘core’ of our own self, seems more and more arduous and somewhat of a wild goose chase.

Things that interest me are current affairs, investigative journalism, human rights, freedom of press, information and speech, independent media and justice. Art, architecture, music, films, literature, psychology and psychotherapy, travelling, photography, cooking. I might post on any of these as things of interest pop up in my head and/or in the wider world.