Australians’ rebellious, spontaneous actions against authority are legion – the Vinegar Hill Irish insurrection at Castle Hill in 1804, the 1808 Rum Rebellion, Eureka stockade in 1854, the retaliations of Ben Hall and Ned Kelly, the 1899 Boer war where Australian officials actively questioned the authority of the Crown, Keith Murdoch’s whistleblowing of the British manipulations of our troops in Gallipoli contributing to rejection of conscription in 1916 and 1917, rejection of Menzies’ 1951 bill to ban communism, major demonstrations against the Vietnam war, Joh Bjelke Petersen’s anti-street march and emergency legislation laws, Gulf Wars 1 and 2, the war in Afghanistan and Israel’s Operation Cast Lead, mandatory detention of refugees, for Aboriginal land rights and numerous other protests.
In this tradition, the people of Australia will rise up tomorrow in most capital cities in defence of freedom of the press and the people’s right to know, and in support of incarcerated Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
One of the speakers at the event in Sydney tomorrow will be journalist Antony Loewenstein who says:
“I think this is a free speech issue. I think it’s an important question more journalists should be working on. The truth is, that a number of journalists, corporate journalists in Australia and elsewhere have shown their true colours,”
Watch today’s Brisbane Wikileaks rally live on 4ZZZ UStream.
George Brandis, Andrew Wilkie and Bob Brown along with an impressive list of prominent Australians and luminaries. have expressed support for Australians, Australia and Wikileaks.
Affirming consular assistance for Julian Assange and unlike the PM not decrying Wikileaks as illegal, Kevin Rudd has exonerated Wikileaks from blame for the release of the cables.
“Mr Assange is not himself responsible for the unauthorised release of 250,000 documents from the US diplomatic communications network,” said Mr Rudd, who had been criticised in one leaked cable as a “control freak”.
“The Americans are responsible for that.”
Gillard does not – our Mrs. Grundy is revealed:
Julia Gillard has also stated that Mr Assange acted illegally in publishing the cables.
Mr Assange’s British solicitor, Mark Stephens, told The Australian that his legal team were examining the Prime Minister’s comments and considering a defamation action against her.
Ms Gillard yesterday refused to specify what laws Mr Assange might have broken. “The foundation stone of it is an illegal act,” Ms Gillard said.
“Information was taken and that was illegal, so let’s not try and put any glosses on this.”
The comments drew fire from the opposition, with shadow attorney-general George Brandis describing the remarks as “clumsy”.
“As far as I can see he (Mr Assange) hasn’t broken any Australian law,” Senator Brandis told Sky News.
“Nor does it appear he has broken any American laws.”
Since her installation, Gillard has shown herself to be remarkably pliable to US strategic plans – assenting to a substantial increase in joint exercises, US troop numbers and logistics in Australia and continuing the government’s plan to purchase F35s from the US.
It is useful to be aware of the comparative military strength and budget of China and the US. When there is such US disproportionate strength, why contribute without serious question to the upscaling madness in association with an imperial power which does not submit to international law? Beware the stagnant mercantilist imperative which feeds on militarisation and feathers the nest of mining and defence companies.
Today’s Wikilinks
Wikileaks Mass Mirror Party Cartoon
Mark Arbib, aka CIA Agent 007
Thousands rally to defend Bradley Manning
Exclusive: Sarah Palin Under Cyber-Attack from Wikileaks Supporters in ‘Operation Payback’
DataCell ehf who facilitates those payments towards Wikileaks has decided to take up immediate legal actions to make donations possible again.
Why WikiLeaks Is Winning Its Info War
Another view of Wikileaks madness
On Anna Ardin, Israel Shamir and glass houses
Why WikiLeaks Is Winning Its Info War
Obama vs Assange Cartoon
MasterCard and Visa want to play politics, then game on…
Berkeley City Council May Declare Support For Alleged WikiLeaks Informant
Is Julian Assange Helping the Neocons?
Noose Closes Around Pro-Wikileaks Vigilantes
Attacks on credit card sites a grass-roots effort
Caving to pressure from supporters, PayPal releases WikiLeaks’ funds
Assange accuser may have ceased co-operating
The charges – two counts of sexual molestation, one count of unlawful coercion and one count of rape
The Rape of Julian Assange
From Jefferson to Assange (some Americans think Assange is one of them!
Wikileaks keeps on publishing despite arrest (funny vid)
Origin of the latest Israel is behind it conspiracy theory (written by an Israeli)
‘The Only Option Left for Me Is an Orderly Departure’ – interview with Daniel Domscheit-Berg
Feds hint at charges for WikiLeaks’ Assange
Understanding Wikileaks’ ally Anonymous
WikiLeaks Defector Plans Tell-All Book
Meet The New Public Face Of WikiLeaks: Kristinn Hrafnsson
The Empire Is Collapsing, And Americans Will Be The Last To Know
Petition – Wikileaks: Stop the crackdown
Non-governmental organizations should consider nominating Julian Assange for a Nobel Prize, a source in the Russian presidential administration has said.
WikiLeaks followers close Swedish government site: report
Anon Ops – A Manifesto
Is the Wikileaks we see the Wikileaks we need?
Mum’s plea: bring Julian home
Julian Assange rape allegations: treatment of women ‘unfair and absurd
Tell me what a rapist looks like
Today’s Australian Wikilinks
US diplomats monitored the progress of Gillard
Andrew Wilkie on WikiLeaks’ Rudd revelations
Arbib not a spy: Shorten
Politicians downplay Arbib revelations
Arbib warned US of Gillard coup – ‘The cables suggest Senator Arbib has been secretly informing the US embassy in Canberra for several years. The former Labor minister Bob McMullan and the federal MP Michael Danby have also been revealed as close sources.’
Gillard showing ‘contempt for law’: Wilkie
Politicians downplay Arbib revelations
WikiLeaks outs Mark Arbib as US informant
WikiLeaks cables cast fresh light on coup against former Australian PM Rudd
If Only Rudd Hadn’t Expelled That Israeli Diplomat…
The realist we need in foreign affairs
Rudd and Arbib duck the North Korea of the internet
Today’s Palestine/Israel links
End Military Aid to Israel’ campaign comes to BART
Sustainable tourism or sustaining Israel’s occupation?
Alla T. Elshawa: In Gaza
Israeli warplanes attack Gaza
Israel, NATO Launch Spying Operation against Iran at Afghan Borders
Ye Shall Share the Land by Noushin Darya Framke
Sustainable tourism or sustaining Israel’s occupation?
US hails Turkey’s ‘constructive’ role at NATO,
OSCE summits
No, America, You Can’t
Palestinian takes over East Jerusalem property through co acquisition
Cheney involved in long list of crimes