Rex Murphy: Removing Julian Assange’s halo

Assange is responsible for a number of Innocent Deaths


  • Total voters
    22

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
39,817
471
83
"Collateral damage" is only justifiable and allowed when it's the "good guys". Asange is a "bad guy" and therefore can not use that "get out of jail free" card.

I just thought that being an ardent supporter of freedom of information pundits like Ezra.. means that you are an ardent supporter of information, but apparently that only counts in a religious context and not in political one?

I'm not sure, I'm just trying to see where the logic is here.

Ezra cares about freedom of information but he condemns Assange (who also cares about freedom of information).

This is logically inconsistent.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
193
63
Nakusp, BC
This is logically inconsistent.
Of course it is. It is OK for the US and our other allies to endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands for no logical reason (is killing all these people to get one asshole logical? - Colpy seems to think so). There is no other reason to go to war than the profits made by a few rich assholes who are no more moral or less nasty that the one prick they went in to get under false pretenses.
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
117,990
14,442
113
Low Earth Orbit
When he gets into his stories he gets up on his toes and flails his arms. The crowd gets right into to it and some even cry over the stories. It's cool. Travel if you need to but you'd really enjoy yourselfif you went to a recording.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
548
113
Vernon, B.C.
When he gets into his stories he gets up on his toes and flails his arms. The crowd gets right into to it and some even cry over the stories. It's cool. Travel if you need to but you'd really enjoy yourselfif you went to a recording.

My sister has seen him several times. She thinks he's the greatest.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
43,839
207
63
Ontario
There is no mention of the number of deaths, let alone any deaths caused directly by the release of the documents.

Before you have an aneurysm (I typed this without reading your second post, lol), Colpy, I was simply responding to your assumption that lives were at risk. If there was such a serious threat stemming from these releases, then it would to stand to reason that some people could die as a direct result.

But no lives have been adversely affected since mid-2010.
You might be right. But in all honesty, it would be quite difficult to prove any direct connection to Assange's actions.

But to be fair, anyone who thinks there has been no adverse reaction, or deaths caused by Assange's actions, doesn't have all their faculties.
I just thought that being an ardent supporter of freedom of information pundits like Ezra.. means that you are an ardent supporter of information, but apparently that only counts in a religious context and not in political one?

I'm not sure, I'm just trying to see where the logic is here.

Ezra cares about freedom of information but he condemns Assange (who also cares about freedom of information).

This is logically inconsistent.
Speaking of consistent, you and Jesse Kline should probably identify what Ezra focused on in his condemnation. Comparing the Pentagon Papers, or Ezra's HRC trial, to what Assange has done, is idiotic.

Releasing names of Human rights workers and Afghan citizens aiding the Coalition Forces. Right down to their village and GPS coordinates. Does what to expose wrong doing?

Even Reporters without Borders doesn't believe that's journalistic whistle blowing.

But lets see what Assange thinks...

'Well, they're informants so, if they get killed, they've got it coming to them. They deserve it.'

Releasing details of technology used by Coalition Forces to prevent IED's from being detonated. Or diplomatic communiques discussing possible action in specific sectors. Isn't journalism. It's treason.

But Assange calls IED's "Rebel investment".

He isn't just accidentally aiding the other side, he's on the other side.

Again, comparing the publishing of the Pentagon Papers or Ezra's HRC trial, to what Assange has done, is idiotic.
 
Last edited:

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
5
36
London, Ontario
And what's up with conservatives being so obsessed with 'the left'? It doesn't even make sense within the context of his slander as freedom of speech is a virtue of the right.

Freedom of speech is a virtue of the right????? Really? Surprising to me, I'm not "of the right" and freedom of speech is a virtue that I hold quite dear.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
48
Ottawa, ON
I can't vote in the poll since I can't understand it. Polls should serve to gauge opinions, beliefs or feelings about facts, and not of the truth of the facts themselves. Whether Assange is responsible for deaths or not is a question of objective fact, not of opinion.

I don't know if he is responsible or not, but a poll will certainly not answer that question at all.

That said, though I agree Assange and Manning ought to have respected the law, I also believe the US government should not have had those secrets in the first place. But two wrongs don't make a right.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
548
113
Vernon, B.C.
I can't vote in the poll since I can't understand it. Polls should serve to gauge opinions, beliefs or feelings about facts, and not of the truth of the facts themselves. Whether Assange is responsible for deaths or not is a question of objective fact, not of opinion.

I don't know if he is responsible or not, but a poll will certainly not answer that question at all.

That said, though I agree Assange and Manning ought to have respected the law, I also believe the US government should not have had those secrets in the first place. But two wrongs don't make a right.

Speaking in general terms I'd say there is a grey area there. :smile:
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
5
36
London, Ontario
I can't vote in the poll since I can't understand it. Polls should serve to gauge opinions, beliefs or feelings about facts, and not of the truth of the facts themselves. Whether Assange is responsible for deaths or not is a question of objective fact, not of opinion.

I don't know if he is responsible or not, but a poll will certainly not answer that question at all.

A poll is just a poll, it's not going to Stats Can for entry into the database or anything. It's just meant to get one thinking really.

That said, though I agree Assange and Manning ought to have respected the law, I also believe the US government should not have had those secrets in the first place. But two wrongs don't make a right.

I agree. Which is why I take such umbrage with Assange stating that revealing the names of informants makes them 'casualties' or however he worded it. That speaks volumes to me that he did not do this out of any sort of real moral outrage, but simply because he could.

I can respect someone who takes a stand, whether I agree with their stand or not, if they are willing to take responsibility for their actions. Neither of these two are doing that.

Actions have consequences.
 

captain morgan

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 28, 2009
28,429
148
63
A Mouse Once Bit My Sister
I agree. Which is why I take such umbrage with Assange stating that revealing the names of informants makes them 'casualties' or however he worded it. That speaks volumes to me that he did not do this out of any sort of real moral outrage, but simply because he could.

I can respect someone who takes a stand, whether I agree with their stand or not, if they are willing to take responsibility for their actions. Neither of these two are doing that.

Actions have consequences.

The actions taken by Assange resulted in other people taking 'responsibility' for his actions... It is this special brand of cowardice that has caused such an outrage.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
43,839
207
63
Ontario
Freedom of speech is a virtue of the right????? Really? Surprising to me, I'm not "of the right" and freedom of speech is a virtue that I hold quite dear.
I sit further left than mentalfloss, he confuses objectivity for placement on the political spectrum.

I also believe the US government should not have had those secrets in the first place. But two wrongs don't make a right.
True for some of what Assange made public (Which I am completely ok with). Not true for not redacting (Or withholding said documents completely) names and locations of informants and human rights workers.

His agenda isn't free speech, it is the victory of the Taliban.
 
Last edited:

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
5
36
London, Ontario
The actions taken by Assange resulted in other people taking 'responsibility' for his actions... It is this special brand of cowardice that has caused such an outrage.

Exactly. From what I've seen and heard about him, he does all that he does just to serve his own ego. I remember seeing a couple of interviews where that was brought up, he didn't seem troubled in the least at the potential threat to those informants from releasing those names. He could have easily blacked out those names and still made his 'point' when he posted that information. He didn't. He simply didn't care. That makes him as bad as those he's obstensibly fighting against. And that is the reason all his backers have disappeared on him. He's not a hero.

And I'm not even saying that there aren't things that governments do or have done that are wrong. In some cases it can be the right thing to do, morally speaking, to expose fraud and corruption within a government or government agency, even by means which are not shall we say 'legal'. But you need that moral context. And in wilileaks there is no moral context.

I sit further left that mentalfloss, he confuses objectivity for placement on the political spectrum.

The notion that there are only two points of view on the spectrum is what throws me the most. There's black and then there's white, but there are a million shades of grey.

True for some of what Assange made public (Which I am completely ok with). Not true for not redacting (Or withholding said documents completely) names and locations of informants and human rights workers.

His agenda isn't free speech, it is the victory of the Taliban.

I see his agenda as his own ego, pure and simple. I'm not sure he has the moral rectitude to side with anyone, including the Taliban.
 

captain morgan

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 28, 2009
28,429
148
63
A Mouse Once Bit My Sister
I see his agenda as his own ego, pure and simple. I'm not sure he has the moral rectitude to side with anyone, including the Taliban.


Assange has showcased his 'moral rectitude' in his refusal to stand and defend himself in Sweden against the sexual assault charges... Pretty ironic in my eyes, this creature that 'fights the good fight' (in his eyes) apparently doesn't include rape/sexual assault as part of his definition of morality.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
43,839
207
63
Ontario
He's not a hero.
He is to the morally bankrupt.

I see his agenda as his own ego, pure and simple. I'm not sure he has the moral rectitude to side with anyone, including the Taliban.
I'll have to disagree, given his commentary when queried about the possible loss of life due to his publishing the documents. As well as his views of the Taliban as "rebels".