I think many people have, although I know it’s not necessarily going to be everyone’s bag.
Just so you know, though … ?
A few days ago, whistle-blowing website, WikiLeaks, published a collection of diplomatic cables from the US government.
A lot of which have been shown to be, if not accurate, then certainly embarrassing, for the US government.
Various things have happened: seen by many, myself included, to be …
Not necessarily ordered by the US government, then certainly with a lot of prodding from them.
Both PayPal and Visa have suspended their services to the site. WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, has had his Swiss bank account suspended.
WikiLeaks has had to shift servers, a few times, as various companies have closed its access to their domains.
The latest piece of news is that Julian Assange has been arrested on an International arrest warrant, on sexual assault charges in Sweden.
I think I’m going to be frank, here.
I’ve known men who’ve been convicted of rape: usually one’s who’ve claimed they’ve been stitched up.
Falsely accused and wrongfully convicted, just in case you’ve not come across the phrase before now.
Something I know I've always been sceptical about, whilest keeping my opinion to myself.
I’ve also known women and men who’ve been raped.
From the little they’ve been willing to tell me … ?
It’s not an experience I would wish to see inflicted on anyone I know.
«•»
Which is where we get to the charges laid against Mr Assange …
There’s my thinking, at the moment.
Rape is a deadly serious offence.
One that is notoriously difficult to prosecute.
One not helped, over the years, by both false accusations …
And — more frequently — by the difficulty of obtaining evidence: along with the understandable reluctance many woman who’ve been raped feel about facing their rapist in court.
So …
Now, I don’t know if Julian Assange is guilty of the charges laid against him.
HOWEVER …
I personally believe that the charges laid against him by the Swedish judicial system have been brought at the insistence of the US government: given the timing, I can come to no other conclusion.
I believe that any jury having to decide Julian Assange’s guilt or innocence will be heavily influenced by that belief.
I believe that justice — and rape victims — will not be served by Julian Assange’s trial.
And that if it goes ahead … ?
That trial will be a politically motivated travesty.
«•»
2 comments:
It was bothering that that woman was locked up for being raped in November. The one who kept retracting her statement because she was frightened.
I}m not going to disagree, George: in point of fact, I’m personally thinking that putting her inside, rather than her rapist, is an even greater travesty.
Post a Comment