Julian Assange: At the Forefront of 21st Century Journalism

[Demeter]

http://www.truth-out.org/julian-assange-at-forefront-21st-century-journalism68181

If there were ever a doubt about whether the editor in chief of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, is a journalist, recent events erase all those doubts and put him at the forefront of a movement to democratize journalism and empower people.

The US Department of Justice is still trying to find a way to prosecute Assange and others associated with WikiLeaks. A key to their prosecution is claiming he is not a journalist, but that weak premise has been made laughable by recent events.

The list of WikiLeaks revelations has become astounding. During the North African and Middle East revolts, WikiLeaks published documents that provided people with critical information. The traditional media has relied on WikiLeaks publications, and is now also emulating WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks has been credited by many with helping to spark the Tunisian revolution because it provided information about the widespread corruption of the 23-year rule of the Ben Ali regime. PBS pointed to ten cables, dating from 2006 to 2009 and published by WikiLeaks in November, that were translated and shared widely in Tunisia detailing the corruption and authoritarian rule of Ben Ali, who lived in opulent luxury while Tunisians struggled. Foreign Policy reported that, "the candor of the cables released by WikiLeaks did more for Arab democracy than decades of backstage US diplomacy."...MORE

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[bemildred]

2. Hence the increased effort to suborn perjury from Mr Manning. nt