. . .
K “I don’t think I would like him.”
J “Me neither.”
. . .
J “Which is, of course, the point. Reflect on the principle not on the principal. The Supreme Court looks at the principal not at the principle.”
K “That is the Supreme Court for you.”
J “For me? Not for me. You take ‘em.”
. . .
K “Google, YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify are imposing various levels of censorship. Each is a monopoly in its own sphere and is, in practice and effect, a utility and a powerful government.”
J “The First Amendment does not protect free speech directly but rather is a limitation on government interference with free speech. Governments such as Google, YouTube, Facebook, Apple and Spotify should not be allowed to interfere with free speech.”
J “Governments should interfere with and regulate monopolies. However that is impossible when the monopolies are the government or at least own and operate the government.”
. . .
K “Free speech for Alex Jones!”
J “Freedom for Julian Assange!”
. . .
[See the e-commentary at “Hero or Traitor? (June 10, 2013)”, “Third Annual ‘Cameo In Courage’ Award For 2018 (April 9, 2018)”, “Second Annual ‘Cameo In Courage’ Award For 2017 (March 6, 2017)”, “First Annual ‘Cameo In Courage’ Award For 2016 (May 9, 2016)”, “Award Deadlines (Livelines?) (July 25, 2016)”, “Profile In Cowardice Award (May 12, 2014)”, “Profile In Courage Award, 2015 (May 11, 2015)”, “Chelsea And Ed: Time For ‘Con’ ‘dign’ Treatment (November 30, 2015)” and “On Courage and Truth (March 17, 2008)”.]
Bumper stickers of the week:
Free speech for Alex Jones!
Freedom for Julian Assange!
(Unedited) petition circulating on the Internets; edit as appropriate or better yet use your own words and express your own concerns:
A Petition to the President of the United States: Pardon Julian Assange
Whereas Journalist Julian Assange and his media organization, Wikileaks, has in the respected tradition of American journalism obtained and published information that is classified and newsworthy, a practice shared with the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and others and
Whereas in the eleven years of its existence the authenticity and accuracy of materials published by Wikileaks has never been questioned or disputes and
Whereas the material regarding Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee published by Wikileaks served the national interest by exposing the corruption of the Clintons, the Clinton Foundation, the Clinton campaign and the Obama Justice Department and
Whereas assertion by the American Intelligence Services that Julian Assange is the agent of a “Hostile Foreign State” or the Russian government are politically suspect and completely unproven and denied by Assange and
Whereas Julian Assange has consistently denied that material obtained from the Democratic National Committee and published by Wikileaks came from the Russian State and has repeatedly offered to prove this for US authorities and
Whereas Assange, now in failing health, has been a veritable prisoner in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for six years, with the media now reporting Ecuador is preparing to hand Assange over to British authorities who will presumably extradite Assange to the United States for trial and
Whereas Julian Assange is an impeccably-honest, incredibly-brave, humanitarian journalist, who provides an invaluable platform for whistleblowers exposing corruption and criminality infesting governments, nullifying democracy and obliterating human rights, around the world and
Whereas there are absolutely no legitimate legal grounds to prosecute Assange and, as the U.S. DOJ admitted in 2013, that doing so would expose ALL U.S. journalistic and news outlets to similar criminal jeopardy.
Therefore Urge President Donald J. Trump to issue a full and unconditional pardon to the journalist Julian Assange in the interests of both justice and mercy.
e-commentary 