‘If war can be started by lies, then maybe peace can be started by truth.’ ~ Julian Assange.
It’s a simple profound statement said by someone who knows that as a journalist the truth doesn’t set you free. It gets you locked up in solitary confinement in Belmarsh Prison. The truth can cost your life. Assange knows that too well.
He is a Walkley-winning journalist who did what journalists are supposed to do. He published material that exposed the US war machine. He told the world who they are. It’s made him, not them, the enemy. We live in an Orwellian world where lies and cover-up are currency. Where truth is more dangerous than guns. Where we lock up our heroes and watch them die.
This is the ethos of The Trust Fall: Julian Assange. Filmmaker Kym Stanton from Films for Change has made this epic documentary on Assange, now on international release. He has trawled through over 24 hours of interviews and hundreds of hours of archival footage to create a two-hour film that Stanton himself calls ‘a seminar’.
If you want the long-form of this story, the one not seen in mainstream media, this is it.
In watching this film, I am reminded of how brave Assange was. That he was compelled to tell the truth even though he knew the consequence. That everything he has been accused of is without proof or foundation, including the allegation that his revelations put people at risk. This was just not true.
Julian Assange is the story powerful governments tell their people about truth tellers. He is the gun to the head of the modern media. When Assange released Collateral Murder in 2010, the video footage that shows US troops callously murdering innocent civilians in Iraq, Assange made himself the target. He showed that it’s innocent civilians and truth tellers who are the target.
The murderers in the video are free. They have never been indicted for trial. The man who did his job has been politically persecuted, vilified and locked up and now he awaits the outcome of his extradition to the US. We won’t know the outcome of that until sometime this month, but it’s not looking good.
Assange is very unwell. It’s clear he won’t make it.
Our PM and Attorney-General speak in broad terms about ‘bringing this to an end’. But what does that mean? Why haven’t they fought harder? Why hasn’t our government done what our government is supposed to do for an Australian citizen? Assange should be free by now. Don’t just vote to bring him home. Go and get him.
Instead, now we must wait to see if the British courts are going to allow him to be extradited to the US where he faces charges that could see him face 175 years behind bars. He will be tortured. He could get the death penalty.
And he hasn’t killed anyone. He has just told the truth.
When asked about the free press in Staton’s film, journalist and human rights firebrand John Pilger, in one of his last interviews before his death last year, said ‘What free press?’
Chilling. There are currently over 500 journalists behind bars around the world for telling the truth.
Assange can’t rely on government. He needs us. He needs us to make this an issue. He needs us to rise up to demand his release. Every one of us must apply pressure.
Because as quoted in The Trust Fall, ‘once it becomes a crime to tell the truth, we are living in a tyranny’.
Set Assange free. Bring him home. Now.
Kym Staton’s film The Trust Fall is screening with a Q&A by the director at Kyogle Cinemas on 14 March and at The Regent in Murwillumbah on 15 March. There are currently no screenings in Byron or Ballina.
Free, the truth teller Julian.
Jail, the war criminals Bush, Blair and Howard.
Albanese could just pick up the phone and tell Joe we want our boy back, yet Albo doesn’t like whistle blowers that blow the lid of corrupt and immoral government activities eg East Timor, Afghanistan. The Iraq war was fought on a lie of WMD and Julian helped expose that and many war crimes and injustices. This case exposes in broad daylight the Hypocrisy of AUST UK and USA so called democratic systems including “free press”. I have to admit I am disappointed the local Byron Palace cinema decided in its wisdom to not screen this important locally made doco and we have to travel out of the shire to see it… Please explain.
“ Don’t just vote to bring him home. Go and get him.” Helicopter and rope?
“ Albanese could just pick up the phone and tell Joe we want our boy back …”
🤬why hasn’t anybody thought of this ‼️‼️⁉️We’ve wasted so much time on multi party delegations ‼️
I think at best, you are being far to generous to old mate Julian, the Congressional hearings into Russian interference into the 2016 American presidential election uncovered plenty of evidence that Wikileaks did in fact pass on hacked top secret intelligence information to the Russian GRU that badly damaged Hilary Clinton’s campaign and directly aided the election of Donald Trump, now isn’t that something to be proud of?. Now Putin is never going to admit to that, but if it is right, Assange should be ashamed of himself. If this “hero” is so innocent why does he not have the guts to face these multiple, very serious treason and espionage charges indicted on him by a lawful Virginia Grand Jury, instead of going to enormous efforts to avoid capture and have his day in court to clear his name.
Because, Keith,
Julian and any reasonable and sane observer knows that Julian’s day in court at a “lawful Virginia Grand Jury” will have precisely the same outcome as has been experienced by Alexei Navalny in Russia. These two have committed the unpardonable offense of proving these governments are war criminals and have no regard for the lives of innocent civilians.
Perhaps it is worth considering the alliance we have entered into is more properly arranged as USUK A
Cheers, G”)
Ken, if the American justice system is capable of giving a seditious arsehole like Donald Trump a fair trial against all of his efforts to wreck and stall it, I’m sure it would handle old mate Julian. Any reasonable and sane person should realize that these charges are extremely serious and should be dealt with in a court of law, not in the public domain where wannabe legal experts think they know best. Cheers KD.
” fair trial “, “the American justice system” Ha Ha Ha Good one KD.
That would be the “the American justice system” that allows the armed forces illegally invade sovereign nations, murder civilians at will and not charge the perpetrators but hound the journalists who expose these war -crimes.
That would be the “the American justice system” where the black half of the population live in constant fear of indiscriminate murder by police , who are never found guilty.
That would be the “the American justice system” that allows Donald Trump to remain at liberty after orchestrating armed war against the Capital and thus proving the total corruption of the system, that is to any reasonable and sane observer.
Cheers, G”)
Ken, western countries have reasonably effective functioning justice systems, for better or worse, they are far better equipped to examine evidence than know-all clowns like you who love making wild unproven accusations. Cheers KD.
Assange’s courage is even more exemplary after his torture has failed to bring him to heel by the forces of war and propaganda…he has yet to give up HIS sources or to reveal his methods of their protection obviously; he has not sold out, and all media not defending him cannot claim journalistic standards…since they are afraid while Julian is not. RIP John Pliger, another brave wizard from Oz.
Kevin, just what torture are you talking about? Assange imprisoned himself when he broke the law and jumped bail, it was his doing to remain incarcerated in the Ecuadorian embassy for all those years until the Ecuadorians finally had enough of the bail-jumper and invited the British police in to forcibly remove him like an hysterical brat.
If anyone wants to show support there will be a peaceful gathering at Justine Elliot’s office Tuesday Apr 23 at 11am please come with your Free Assange poster / etc.
A small group will be petitioning the Labour government to do much more.
We must comply with a “peaceful gathering” only – at her office or lose the opportunity to talk with her.