Julian Assange’s lawyers fear his extradition to the U.S. where they believe a sealed indictment in Virginia is awaiting him. In a rare move by a U.S. politician, a state senator in Virginia has come out in support of Assange.
By State Senator Richard Black
As a military officer, I was trained to strictly observe security protocols. So when I first heard of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, I was instinctively critical. But upon reading his released documents, I saw how Julian gave people accurate insights into the inner workings of their own government.
Government “of the People” cannot flourish beneath a suffocating cloak of secrecy. And secrecy is often aimed, not at protecting us from enemies abroad, but at deceiving us about the dark machinations of our own government. The most consequential secrets are those used to conceal steps taken to establish predicates for future wars—unwarranted conflicts that seem to roll off an endless assembly line. No-fly zones, bombings, sanctions, false flags, blockades, mercenaries, bloodthirsty terrorists have all become stock in trade. Sanctions destabilize our targets through hunger and suffering. We terrorize and blow body parts into the streets like calling cards. Regime change is the end game; coups and assassinations are fair play.
Before Assange, those who “broke the code” and detected the Deep State’s patterns of misbehavior were labeled “conspiracy theorists” or worse. But with the advent of WikiLeaks, original, unchallenged source documents have proven our arguments, and revealed the truth to citizens.
Donald Trump’s election sent violent shock waves through the Deep State. People had been warned they could not elect this person—but they had ignored the instructions. That was not supposed to happen—and could not be permitted to happen again. The People demonstrated that the mainstream media had lost its tight grip on the national conversation. National intelligence was being revealed and shared. Generations of subtle censorship had folded under an onslaught of uncensored communications among families, friends, and interest groups. Social media, a new and frightening paradigm, challenged the elite’s grip on the levers of power. After Trump, restoring barriers to free speech and communications became a global imperative.
Today, we see intense, coordinated efforts to reimpose effective information control in America and globally. Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, PayPal and other high-tech titans rush to hire censors and adopt restrictive policies that block controversial voices from reaching global audiences. Big Brother is back in town.
Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are among the censors’ prized targets. They have disrupted Big Media censorship. Assassinating Assange is not out of the question. He is that important.
I realize that Julian Assange is controversial, but I’d be pleased if some courageous nation granted him permanent asylum. Let him continue giving citizens an honest peek at the inner workings of their governments. That seems to be our best hope for peace.
Republican Senator Richard H. Black represents the 13th district of Virginia, encompassing parts of both Loudoun and Prince Williams Counties in northern Virginia.
The above article is a welcome, rare, vote ‘for’ Julian Assange and the important journalistic work that he does. The only thing that could have made the message hydrogen bomb explosive was the failure to put Hillary Clinton in the same category as Donald Trump. Hopefully, the Senator agrees that what he said about Trump applies equally to Hillary. The only difference between those two monsters lies in the area of details.
The trouble with any comment is how true is, each side of any argument have their point of view to give, words and ideas can easily twisted to each idea of the the topic.
In the time Donald Trump has been elected he has be given so much negative press instigated by opposition parties to his policiers,. have they forgotten that He was given thAT mandate by citizens of the USA ?.
In a democracy election, his business back ground is what appeals to the people who put him in power is his plans for putting America first, in this, when he puts a person to do a task for the plan he has envisage can;t comply to direction of his plan then he is sacked understandably.
Trump is elected president and uses those skills to rectify what is wrong with his country as he and the people elected him gave him thIs mandate to DO DEMOCRATICALLY…
To me as a person living in a small country far from the USA I am sadden by the political disrespect to The President. America has tried and helped many countries over the years, it may have had some rewards, ,
but disrespect it gets… I can understand Trumps and the peoples feelings of America first!
Governments are not businesses! Putting a business person in charge of a government, you get exactly what Amerika has gotten, a bigoted crook who has surrounded himself with other
bigoted crooks. They have openly broken many of our laws that are supposed to protect our financial, banking, environmental and other concerns! Plus, he shows a wonton disrespect for a large portion of the US population!
Wise words amid the scramble to confuse the populace. I comment your courage to publish them.
Leave Assange alone. He is a hero.
Senator black makes sense to me and expresses my sentiments
A man with backbone! Well done sir.
Dear Senator Richard Black,
I must proclaim that one of the most hopeful events in my life was the establishment of Julian Assange’s Wikileaks platform to reveal crimes against humanity across the globe by publishing government documents in their pristine & unadulterated form. This was hope based on the truth. Thank you for publicly acknowledging Julian Assange’s unequivocal contribution to democracy.
For all their secrecy, isn’t it ironic that one reads on the lobby wall of the CIA headquarters the biblical verse, “”And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.””
John VIII-XXXII
Thank you again for your courage Senator Black,
Respectfully,
Dr. Jennifer Ortiz
Dear Senator Black,
My thanks to you for speaking out on behalf of Assange. I have been waiting for someone with courage such as yourself to speak out on his behalf. Our elected officials have been using the curtain of secrets to hide their actions far too long. There are far too many secrets and these people are attacking Assange for exposing their practice. I comment you. Maybe this is a start for cleaning up our Democracy, but we have a long way to go so I hope others will join you.
Bill Elias
Thank you Mr Black – a voice of hope and sanity.
COURAGE. The Truth will set us all free. Thank you for defending America from the Deep State takeover.
Thank you, sir, for having the courage to speak out, truthfully and articulately, about the preeminent subject of our time: the legal right of the American and the global public to access accurate, unbiased representations of scientific and newsworthy events, including legal and financial points of reference, irrespective of their potential to effect the commercial marketplace, particularly the welfare of the global military industrial complex.
“Without Prejudice”
Your narrative Senator Black has been a blessing to read. What govt shoots and kills innocent civilians like heavy rain and expects not to be called out on it. To then watch the manipulative corrupt actions (in my honest opinion) of aligned governments for years for this revealing is nothing more than Human rights abuse towards this incredibly brave man. Mr Assange needs to be granted asylum to live out his life with his children and family.
Julian Assange and WikiLeaks legally exposed illegal actions by the U.S. government just as the Pentagon Papers did.
What is the good senator doing to prosecute and incarcerate those law breakers within the government? Nothing. That’s the central tragedy of the Assange story.
The U.S. government is no longer the beacon of freedom around the world; it’s now the master of economic repression, aggression, and control. That’s why there is no political support anywhere in the world for Julian Assange.
Rule of law. Funny.
Thank you Senator Richard Black!
NEVER SURRENDER
BILL MOYERS (NPR) was interviewing a philosopher who quoted another famous us philosopher on his reaction when he heard the truth, HE REPLIED “TEARS COME TO MY EYES” .
Tears came to my eyes when i read senator BLACK’S article and the great comments on this blog. He should go to us universities and open the eyes of students to defend Julian Assange, if they beleive in freedom.
MLK in one of his speach ” if you beleive you are living under a dictatorship, your duty is to do the revolution and if you are afraid to die, you are already dead living under it “
Thank you, Duck Black.
I have suggested before that Trump may be the best bet to get decent treatment for Assange. Especially with some support from republicans like Black. Don’t shoot me for looking in the unlikeliest places!
Thank you Senator Black. Julian Assange is a global treasure and one who has contributed magnificently to the evolution of a better world.
I believe he has made changes for humanity that are the equivalent of the great thinkers of the past centuries. He has transformed the world of publications in as revolutionary way as did Johannes Gutenberg.
We the people can bestow on him the People’s Peace Prize for integrity and communications.
Australia has much to be proud of in this son of the earth of mankind.
I commend Sen. Black for his bravery, In addition to Wikileaks, everyone should read Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War by Andrew J, Basevich. You can order it from amazon or check it out at your public library. Incisive inside look at our own government’s clandestine machinations from someone who’s been there Bone-chilling. A must-read for every citizen. It corroborates everything Assange has been saying all along and explains in excruciating detail why America will always be at war, no matter what promises presidential candidates may make. They either don’t know (because they’re not in the inner circle yet), or they’re lying through their teeth to get elected. Probably the latter. Julian Assange has done nothing wrong. He has exercised his legal right to free speech and done everything in his power to enlighten the masses to the truth about their own government. We the people have a right to know. Many thanks to Sen. Black for his support!
Thank You, Senator Black. It’s worth noting that Wikileaks isn’t the original source for the material that they publish. They simply broadcast what is provided to them, which is exactly what the NT Times, Der Spiegel, and the Washington Post are doing. Yet those institutions are not prosecuted. Our cowardly government would rather pick on one individual, rather than challenging large entities with the capacity to defend themselves.
I think this is a rather naive viewpoint. The NYT, the WaPo, and virtually all the MSM are propaganda tools of our government, especially since the end of the Fairness Doctrine and the NDAA of 2012 making propaganda directed at the US public legal. Even before that “Operation Mockingbird” had CIA shills inside MSM outlets. That is why their silence about Assange’s predicament speaks volumes. The government pursues Assange because he is a real threat. He exposes the Government’s propaganda, and their real agenda, for the whole world to see. Wikileaks’ exposure of Vault 7 made billions of dollars worth of CIA dirty tricks, and their Orwellian tactics, known to the whole world. That is why Mike Pompeo declared Wikileaks a “non-state hostile intelligence service”. And what do you hear from the MSM shills…crickets.
Senator Black is one fine man. He is true to his principles and true to the American principles of our forefathers. We have too few questioning voices in our government – everything is signed, sealed and delivered without discussion or forethought. Senator Black has raised his voice in the past, over atrocities in Syria, illegal sanctions, big brother and the media that is all too complacent and in the control of the CIA. Now he raises his voice once more in support of this one man who was able to bring out the truth about world and US governments and their spying and colluding to control the masses to feed them the story tale about freedom and liberty. He told the story of how our elections were tampered with – not with Russian, but with our own people in the DNC. I agree with him that a country should offer him immunity and protection – the country that comes to mind is Russia – brave enough, strong enough and with a leader that can’t be bought or sold – who has his own set of principles and acts on them. God bless Senator Black! I am proud of him not sweeping this under the rug of righteousness and exceptionalism. We need many more like him running our government!
It is getting ever more difficult for truth bearers to find safe haven anywhere in this 1984 world we live in. But how about Brazil along side of Glenn Greenwald and the Intercept? After that Russia might be the safest place.
Am proud of this senator from my long-ago home state, and a Republican at that! Can only wish that we had more like him. Makes me feel a little less depressed today.
Senator Black – that was outstanding. Well done!
Maybe you can explain this to some other crackpots running the Commonwealth in particular my childhood friend Chap Petersen. You are one of the few I know who actually has somewhat of a clue. Oh… and get rid of transurban while you are at it. The privatization of roads can be traced back to the Roman empire and is nothing more than pure theft of the people. Shameful what the Senate has done.
Did Big Brother ever go away?
My congratulations to the Senator from Virginia for voicing his concern, I’m afraid Texas has no one to respond in kind sitting in our government….
Excellent article and only praising words and congrats for Senator Black on his comments on Assange.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Senator Black. Your constituents should sleep well at night knowing they are represented by such an honest, courageous, intelligent person. It is shameful there are so few like you. Julian Assange publishes the truth and bravely protects whistleblowers. He should be celebrated, not persecuted.
ANOTHER SCAM-O-RAMA! DON’T BUY!
My warning above was meant as a REPLY to a scam about how “stay-at-home-moms can make a lot of money”…same kind of con what we’ve found here before…but before my warning was posted, it seems to have been taken down? So I’ll only say BRAVO! to Senator Black.
Thank you, Senator; would that there were 99 more senators like you.
Thank you, Senator Black, for standing up for Wikileaks and Julian Assange. I only wish you would be joined, as you should be, by thousands more people demanding transparency from governments.
From a fellow Virginian, Thank You Senator Black! I wish I was in your district. It would be great to feel excitement again on election day. I have not felt election day excitement in many, many years.
Thank you Senator Black for your support of Julian Assange! He is a Hero to all of us that believe in transparency in government & want the endless wars to stop!
Thank you for taking on a responsibility that should be shared among ‘other people with influence’ who care about the state of our republic, the idea of democracy and an international alignment with a moral guide stone.
Assange and Snowden made it possible for so many to wake up to the deception, manipulation and corruption that permeates government – and we are deeply indebted. It’s on us, as citizens of the world, to do all we can to protect whistle blowers of all stripes who give us a view of reality in this dismal landscape of lies, lies and more lies. Again, thank you. I hope you are among the first of many, many others who will brave public opinion in the interest of standing up for the right thing.
Absolutely bang on! I am from Canada but my government won’t give safe haven to the courageous Assange as they are just too busy secretly fast tracking immigration for the notorious White Helmets!
Besides which, Washington would not allow Assange into one of its colonies.
Where did Virginia find this guy?
I am truly amazed he won. Virginians must be a little smarter than average, and don’t fall for the MSM pablum like most of the sheeple.
“I realize that Julian Assange is controversial, but I’d be pleased if some courageous nation granted him permanent asylum. Let him continue giving citizens an honest peek at the inner workings of their governments. That seems to be our best hope for peace.”
Thank you for your courage to speak your mind Senator Black. Not only our best hope for peace, but for Americans, an important reminder of our rights, freedoms, and liberties under the US Constitution. We all need to heed Eisenhower’s warning now and demand a halt to attempts at the usurpation of our Republic by the military-medical industrial complex. We are beyond scary and no longer that beacon of hope to ourselves, or any observer. We demand to reclaim our place as an inspiration and example we would want all nations to follow. See Eisenhower’s farewell address and other important information at our LINKS page.
You may be interested in the Free Julian Assange petition to the Prime Minister of Australia Mr Malcolm Turnbull Sign and Retweet and Reshare the petition via this link https://chn.ge/2Jb34nr
Thankyou
Phillip
This text has given me hope. Thank you Sir.
You may be interested in the Free Julian Assange petition to the Prime Minister of Australia Mr Malcolm Turnbull Sign the petition via this link https://chn.ge/2Jb34nr
Thanks Phillip. It’d be great if Australia would grow a set and reclaim their hero, but I’m not holding my breath. I hope this petition goes more viral than a cute kitten video.
Muito bom faco minhas az suas palavras….Assange e para ser homemageado e aplaudido de pe ….mas sera que o estado profundo ainda esta no controle?…. tem que ser finalizado…..nao da mais ja estamos conscirntes …
i admire this senator Richard black for standing up for Julian, if everyone would tweet president trump and senators as i do daily we all can help julian
Free Julian! He stands for free speech and truth. We need more people like Julian. He has done nothing wrong. He has only exposed truth. The peole deserve the truth.
Hi Maria,
If you feel strongly as I do about the injustice being perpetrated on Julian Assange then get behind the petition to free him, Free Julian Assange petition to the Prime Minister of Australia Mr Malcolm Turnbull Sign the petition via this link https://chn.ge/2Jb34nr
Promote it and let people know about it.
I Agree, Snowdon as well..they are like whistleblowers and should be given there freedom. I wish the same about another country giving them asylum. The US should be the one to step up to the plate, just think what they could do stopping the Russian hacking.
Russian hacking? Is this an attempt at humor?
The U.S. should step up to the plate? What government do you think has been causing this mess?
Richard Black you are a hero to the world. I am a loyal soldier to you. The potential downfall of Assange could be catastrophic
Dear Marcus Davidson
I wish to join you in your support of State Senator. I too think he is an excerptional HERO and is brave enough to reveal Deep State and his President”s vindictive persecution of Julian Assange. Where are all the other brave seantors? Saving Assange can be a positive step to truth and the stopping of USA”s undending wars on sovere8ign nations.
Brave senator defends other brave journalist
Brave, Senator Black. You are absolutely correct !
Thank you Senator Richard Black – for courageously standing up for truth, morality, peace, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange.
Thank you Senator.
I live in Australia. Still waiting for ONE politician to say a word in support of Julian. I have twice contacted my MP about Julian’s plight and have not even had the standard say-nothing letter of acknowledgement. Australia is a DISGRACE.
Whenever I go to vote in elections, I ask myself the following question about the candidates:
“How much political power must this person obtain before political expediency overrides his moral integrity?”
I would likely vote for Senator Black
Assange is the real journalist. He should be taught in high schools in the USA.
But, universities have become cultural marxist factories producing brain dead generations who can’t even distinguish their right form their left arms.
How can people still use globa surveillance and propaganda media like facebook, twitter, linkedin and still watch wipe arse fake news on ABC, CNN, CNBC and al ????
Human stupidity is like the universe: It never stops to expand.
the more they are “educated” (formatted), the less they are able to think
Thank you Senator Black for your courage in standing up to the unelected Deep State. Big money is subverting democracy, and not to benefit the “general welfare” as per the U.S. Constitution. Following the money leads to a “War Profiteer Story”. http://warprofiteerstory.blogspot.com
Kudos to you, Senator Black! Telling the truth takes courage in these woeful times.
Wow! I’m stunned and amazed that this was written by a state senator. Bullseye! Right on target, Richard!
I agree….and a State Senator from the northern part of VA to show such political courage is a real shocker but proof that perhaps there are some real patriots left in the swamp after all. I also am from Virginia and do not know a lot about Mr. Black but am going to find out more about this man who wrote a very impressive message.
Yes, I agree. So true. I have watched State Senator Richard Black on YouTube (RT News?). A very brave and courageous man. It is hard to believe that there is no other Politician in this big country who has the courage to stand up and speak the truth to the people. How low the Ruling Establishment in The West has sunk! And they are going to take the whole World down with it.
Well, Richard H. Black is a member of the Virginia State Senate, not a legally bribed DC politician in search of foreign enemies for MIC’s profit.
I only wish we could trade Black in the state senate for Warner in the US senate. Black would actually represent Virginia if he was one of our US senators. Warner represents Israel, and acts as though he has never actually heard of Virginia. If there is a sealed warrant for Julian Assange in Virginia, I’d bet that Warner had something to do with it.
I am in agreement with your comment Ed. I too live in Virginia and would like to see State Senator Richard Black run for Warners seat and represent all of Virginia. Warner as well as all the other US Senators from our state for the past several decades have been nothing short of a failing pile of garbage. If you are reading this comment Sen. Black, please consider the support you have from Virginians outside of Loudoun and Prince William Co. and throw your hat in the ring.
Good point.
The liars, murderers, and thieves who rule our society hate and fear the truth, and will spare no effort to suppress it.
Right ON!
Right on, brother. Thank you for stepping up. Political courage is in short supply. Defend Assange, champion of free and independent journalism! He only enabled the truth to be discovered and made widely available. For that he is being criminalized and forced to endure de facto solitary confinement. No habeus corpus, no trial, just a sentence.
A hero in my book as is Mr. Assange. Another person who is doing what is right as apposed to what is easy. A great example to the youth of America.
It is striking that he recognizes the importance of what Assange has done. He obviously isn’t the only one. I got drafted and came out alive and I agree with him also, at 69 1/2 no less.
Keep fighting the good fight Sen Black.
ADMIRE your GOODNESS, Honesty, INTEGRITY, MORAL COMPASS!!!!! HOW you got in your place of Great Power by Voters is Amazing!!! THANK YOU, AND GOD BLESS & KEEP YOU,AS YOU ARE A RARE JEWEL OF A SOUL!!!
A beautifully written and incisive piece of work. We need more people like Mr. Black in government. I imagine that anyone reading this could not hep but be touched by the inarguable decency and sense of justice herein expressed.
Precisely!!!!
Great thanks for representing the true interests of our country in this matter, Senator
It IS THE WILL OF WE, THE PEOPLE FOR JULIAN ASSANGE TO BE FREE AND UNACCOSTED. DO NOT FORGET. WE WON’T.
Thank God for Assange. I believe he kept Hillary & her evil minions from taking over our govt. completely. We still have the corrupt deep state but they have been outed & hopefully will be tried & put in jail. So glad Mr. Black is not afraid to speak up.
“Thank God for Assange. I believe he kept Hillary & her evil minions from taking over our govt. completely. We still have the corrupt deep state but they have been outed & hopefully will be tried & put in jail.”
Until these people (perpetrators of the Iraq War) are prosecuted for their roles in the greatest crime in human history (the German Gov’t’s role in the deaths of the millions of people it murdered is horrible; but; the ongoing results of the invasion of Iraq by the US by now exceed that which happened to the Jews and others by Hitler’s Germany.
Sorry, I should have proofread prior to posting. Until the perpetrators are prosecuted, we will continue to enable the precedence of endless, undeclared wars to continue in our name and become a sort of defacto permission of US citizens and acceptance by the world’s governments.
Senator Richard Black opened my eyes on the US narrative in Syria, Libya, Iraq and the existence of the Deep State false flags Main Stream Media censorsheep, etc.
He is a brave and selfless man…
God bless and protect him
I second that emotion!
Bravo senator. We need more voices like yours to express support for Mr. Assange.
Courageous support for the truth and uncompromising opposition to regime change wars will come as no surprise for those who have followed the career of Sen.Black, a decorated former combat pilot and head of the Army’s Crminal Law Division at the Pentagon. Naturally, he has been criticized, and even denounced by warmongers from both parties and was the target of the failed, infamous, Va,State Senate bid of Jill McCabe, wife of former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who recived an astounding $700,000 from the Clinton campaign and its ally Terry McAuliffe.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I love you! You have guts to tell it like it is! Thank you so much for realizing Assange’s very important place in our world. It’s appalling to see our very top polititions committing actual crimes against our Constitution and Intel agencies committing crimes against our human rights. We the people are under attack by those corporations who are poisoning our water, food, earth and our children and elders, The news outlets are lying to us. I am not certain, but I do think Trump is battling the Deep State for us. I want our government and our judicial system back with full regard to our Constitution and Bill of Rights! We need Assange in this battle to help humanity gain back our rights to a life of freedom and to help us get our water, earth, and our air clean of poisons, all over this globe and to put a STOP to regime change wars killing people and denying people the basic necessities for families. Thank you Senator Dick Black!, for supporting Assange’s health and well-being and positive place in our global societies who need honesty and regard for human life and to work together to clean up this mess infiltrating our governments with a secret design to create a One World Government ruling OVER us.
Wow! This senator rocks the house. Just finished reading the Wikipedia article on him–he’s a fascinating guy. Decorated military guy, and sharp as a tack. He sent a letter to Assad thanking him for protecting Christians, and he has also said that RT News is a great news source–this guy is on Point! Thank you Senator Black, for your service and your courage.
I second your motion.
Senator Black I’m not from Virginia, but if I were I’d vote for you. Sir, you are a truth teller. Joe
Ajamu Baraka gives us food for thought. Read this….
https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/08/01/trump-and-the-politics-of-neoliberal-destruction/
Excellent. I love Ajamu Baraka.
Thanks for the link Joe. Really good stuff. Counterpunch still has some good articles, but they have really got under my skin in their caving on RussiaGate, and the evil hit-piece they had on Putin a while back. I don’t send them money anymore.
Baraka is a great man. I hope he gets more exposure as 2020 approaches.
I too wonder what happened to Counterpunch, which I always thought was an honest website. Apparently it too is dependent on someone like George Soros.
Thank you Senator Black for supporting freedom of the press!
Thank you for supporting Julian Assange .
“Rule of law” my ass! The west is revealed as the total criminal enterprise it is.
I could not agree more. The west has proven to be a criminal enterprise.
The scumbag British government is responsible for Julian’s detention. A real government would offer him asylum, or safe passage to wherever he chose to go.
Again I concur with your statement. The British government in a sick joke that is both corrupt and ineffective.
And, lapdog of the US/Israel alliance.
With enough coragous people, the times are a changing.
Why does Bernie Sanders not come out and support Assange, or has he? Call/Contact his office and ask.
He is nothing but a phony sheepdog for the Democratic Party.
Why in god’s name is this man affiliated with the Republican party? It isn’t what it once was, I suppose.
Regardless, it’s great to see support for Assange from *someone* in our government.
It would seem that the Republican party is not limited to cookie-cutter politics…
He is one of the VERY FEW Western politicians actually have great respect and admiration for .
Not only that, but he was in the military and he sees how important it is for the government not to be able to hide what they are doing from us.
An impressive overall message showing courage.
“After Trump, restoring barriers to free speech and communications became a global imperative.” This was the case under Obama, and Bush prior. They set the stage.
Reimposing, not imposing, information control and censorship means it has been in place for a long time. Big Brother isn’t back in town, he never left. He’s grown and still growing, but he’s been around for a very long time.
Hillary didn’t censor and control information about her servers, emails, Benghazi, and ‘Russia did it’? Iraq WMDs wasn’t disinformation? 911 and the commission report wasn’t information control? USS Liberty 1967 wasn’t censorship?
Sorry, but this laudable attempt at some truth to power isn’t good enough. Information control is getting worse and the deep state PTB are unfettered, net neutrality is wiped out now, but this is only newer, not new. We’ve been sliding down this slippery slope of corporatocracy security state control for a long time. The Patriot Act allowed this to increase to the current status.
Good points, but I’ll praise Mr. Black’s insight and courage to advocate “giving citizens an honest peek at the inner workings of their governments… our best hope for peace”
You are right Sam, this senator deserves some praise.
I suspect Ecuador is holding out for a better deal from the US before they turn Assange over. They hold someone the Americans are desperate for, so they can squeeze them. I would not be surprised if Moreno is looking to line his own pockets too.
No question that the US would do that. I wonder whether Russia, China, or even the EU could offer more valuable development aid, conditioned on Assange’s release and full exposure of US corruption. But then Moreno likely has a deal with the US that got him elected over Correa.
> Sam F
> No question that the US would do that. I wonder whether Russia, China, or even the EU could offer
> more valuable development aid, conditioned on Assange’s release and full exposure of US corruption.
Are you kidding? Wikileaks has been exposing war crimes by EU governments, as well….
Yes, but many EU members (Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Greece) have acted well in Latin America or shown divergence from the captive EU government (France, UK, Germany) policies.
Excellent article by Mr. Black. Indeed democracy cannot flourish in secrecy about “the dark machinations of our own government,” and has been destroyed by control of mass media and politicians by economic concentrations unknown to the Founders. Not surprising that alternative media have become controlled by “high-tech titans” now “restoring barriers to free speech and communications.”
The solution is to restrict funding of mass media and political campaigns to limited individual contributions. We cannot get such laws or amendments because those tools of democracy are already lost.
Trump should break free of his handlers and install administrative heads to restore democracy. He should abuse executive power in this emergency, temporarily seize all mass media and give them to the universities, until Congress properly regulates mass media corporations. He must dismiss Congress and the judiciary altogether, and hold new elections and appointments to purge the nearly universal corruption. Then demand amendments to the Constitution for better checks and balances, including limiting of such executive power. That is our only hope short of miserable demise and grievous revolution. Does he have the intelligence and concern for humanity?
I think it’s pretty clear that he has the intelligence of a gnat and couldn’t care less about humanity. So I’m preparing for miserable demise and grievous revoution. It’s probably inevitable at this point.
Before opening the link, I knew it was VA State Senator Dick Black. Hoorah. Also unique among the groveling political cowards and ignoramuses for his position on Syria. God Bless you, sir.
My first thought too, as Senator Black has produced quality video discussion of his experiences in Syria. Good for you sir, for standing up for Assange and the Syrians.
There’s a war in the east, so we’re told at least There’s a war down south its in everyone’s mouth
There’s a war in the west, some just call it unrest There’s a war up north, refugees and so forth
We feel shame. Who’s to blame? Well its always the same, Open borders for all, or build a wall, heed the call
But the times are once again changing Well the times are once again changing
There’s resentment and strife between man and wife You better learn how to crawl. Those who triumphed will fall
And a hostile fight between the left and right Those who now dictate will soon find it too late
Is it Adam or June calls the tune night and noon You’re corrupt, too well supped, and you can’t get it up
Yes, the times are once again changing So the times are once again changing
These times my dears are not measured in years
They’re recorded in blood since before the great flood
If you do not belong then this song will sound wrong
But the times are once again changing
Wonderful! – Let’s hope it’s true that “The times they are a changing”.
who is this song from, could you please tell me
Bob Dylan made it famous, but I don’t think he wrote it, although he may have.
I was referring to the one from the 1960s. If you’re asking about the lyrics from the one posted above, I have no idea.
I wrote it. Unashamedly based very clearly on Dylan’s “Times are a changin”
They’ve jammed my first 4 verses all together. It should be the first 3 verses on the left and then the next 2 on the right !
Hope you like it.
Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There’s a battle outside
And it is ragin’.
It’ll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’.
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin’.
Please get out of the new one
If you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’.
Bob Dylan
Well said Senator. It is refreshing to see someone with the courage to tell it like it is:
“We terrorize and blow body parts into the streets like calling cards. Regime change is the end game; coups and assassinations are fair play.”
————————————————————–
July 28, 2018
“The Murderers In Our Midst”
Millions have been murdered and their countries destroyed
Millions are refugees, and the war criminals are employed
Bombing and killing and laying waste many lands
Those still alive are the maimed and homeless, on the blood soaked sands…
[read more at link below]
http://graysinfo.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-murderers-in-our-midst.html
Senator Black, Likewise, as a former, now 73 year old military officer, Capt USAF, I commend your political bravery and will stand behind you in whatever we need to do to protect Julian Assange and provide safe haven for a man who has been persecuted for far too long. Lead the way and many of us will help.
O.M.G! I’m sure this guy won’t last in office long telling the truth like that.
Actually, he beat back a very dirty campaign by the Democrats last time around. Who says he can’t do it again.
I think he’ll be OK at the state level, but he has virtually zero chance of a shot at congress. The gate keepers at the MSM will make sure his reach remains limited, or he will become a target.