Clearly, the issues of Wikileaks and Julian Assange are on many people's minds lately, as Mr. Bolos also decided to blog about it this week. Assange, freedom of speech-activist and producer of the "revolutionary website" Wikileaks, is causing quite the stir internationally. Government officials believe he is "changing history" in the political world., and Time reports that his website "could become as important a journalistic tool as the Freedom of Information Act." In history's largest leak of secret governmental documents, Assange has gained the power to "put lives in jeopardy," as Hillary Clinton says. In a Time Magazine article covering the many views for and against Assange, the possibility of a "revolutionary movement" is mentioned many times.
This reminds me of the fantasy fiction trilogy, Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. The trilogy is about a corrupt, Fascist government and how a girl named Katniss, who lives in the poorest of the 12 districts that make up their country, sparks a massive revolution by defying the government's binding laws. Like Katniss, Assange's defiance of the law is not exactly black and white. He argues that he is solely exercising his right to free speech, but is it his information to reveal, when it was given to him by others, possibly illegally? Technology has made it so easy for people to spread facts, slander, eye-opening discoveries, gossip, and just about anything. The fact that this new technological phenomenon is targeting big-name politicians has brought interest in what technology can do to another level.
As Mr. Bolos posed the question, what should we do about Julian Assange and his new-found power? While some believe his purpose of educating the public about what exactly goes on in the decisions of our government is justified, others believe the opposite: is this extent of freedom of speech putting our country in danger?
I think that Assange should be allowed to publish certain established facts about the government, but not be permitted to publish things that could put lives in danger. In some of his documents about the Iraq war, there were names of people who helped the United States or complied with them. These people are being hunted by those who wish to see the United States out of Iraq. Their lives are in danger because of a man who didn't know the meaning of discretion. Other secrets such as how much money the government funds certain projects with, such as the CIA budget, seem reasonable to know. However, one must keep in mind that the government keeps secrets for a reason. This may be my teenage naivete, but I believe that the government keeps secrets to protect the citizens and others from information that could harm us. So just when we thought freedom of speech was a good thing, I have to say that only a small part of Assange's works should probably be published. While many see him as a literary hero, I see him as a cowardly spy who is too outspoken against the United States.
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