As a proponent for free speech, stories like this go to show how we are losing the rights to voice our opinions.
I have known Tom for a few years now, and he is probably one of the best political minds I have met. Now he is being put through the ringer for speaking his mind when asked what his thoughts were by CBC, in which Flanagan said he thought Assange "should be assassinated, actually. I think (U. S. President Barack) Obama should put out a contract and maybe use a drone or something."
Now there are those that support Wikileaks right to free speech, but try and stifle the right of Tom to do the same. The hypocrisy of free speech just never ends. Some things to consider are does Prof. Flanagan really have the political clout to have someone across the globe assassinated? Were his comments even close to hate speech? I don't believe he was trying to get Assange assassinated....good lord, give me a break. Incitement to murder? Yeah right!
Lets take a look at Assange. Refused bail for sex crimes, hmm I won't state my opinion on Assange and what I think should be done to those of his ilk. (only because I we are not permitted I guess) It is however much the same as my thoughts on Bin Laden.
When we have to worry daily about the comments we make, it makes me wonder where our freedoms really lie. Canada is obviously losing sight of it, and I hope this is fought, after all isn't that what our soldiers are dying for, our FREEDOMS?
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42 minutes ago
Canada's soldiers aren't "dying for our freedoms" in Afghanistan. They are dying to prop up a corrupt government. The Karzai government rigged the last election and has no hope of surviving without the nearly limitless amounts of NATO blood and treasure we continue to pour in there while our own country's deficit skyrockets and our unemployment rate remains abysmally high.
ReplyDeleteIronically, the rhetorical claim that our soldiers are dying for our "freedom" is really only possible in world where the facts are obscured and hidden from the public. That's not the world we live in anymore, with or without WikiLeaks.
Julian Assanges's "sex crimes" are likely smears or bunk. Details: http://bit.ly/eaLZt2 and humour: http://huff.to/gMqyjl
Lastly, openly advocating the political murder of a dissident might fly in Iran or China, but it is not within the boundries of acceptable political discourse in Canada. I'm glad Flanagan apologized, but I honestly don't think he was joking when he made those remarks.
I don't worship Assange and I don't think everything Wikileaks has done is right, moral or legal - but that doesn't mean it's fair game to call for his assassination.