February 27, 2014
I met
Julian Assange personally, in London. The visit had a private character
with no particular agenda. We spend great part of a day in talks.
Shortly thereafter I published my impressions in Newsmill, Sweden.
Here I reproduce the that analysis, partly referred to the political
impact and historical significance of the organization founded by
Assange, and also referred to my personal appraisal on some Julian
Assange’s character features. My assessment differs radically from Mr.
O’Hagan’s.
Historical Meaning Of Wikileaks, And Swedish Myths On Julian Assange
In discussing “julian assange”, the main stream media – particularly in sweden – have seemingly neglected informing the public concerning a most relevant fact: wikileaks – the organization founded and led by editor and journalist julian assange inspired not only a democracy-vital whistleblowing undertaking, but also an international movement probed effective during 2011-2012 in questioning power, or even contributed changing governments.__________________________________________________________
This new social force, armed with a distinct liberationist political philosophy, has now converted into a political force and thus played a determinant role in the catharsis of the North African revolutions or a variety of unrests in the Middle East. Also, this modern equation (Cyber-media and communication in conjunction with a re-emerging questioning for democratic rule, across borders) had a pivotal influence in the Occupy movement in Western Europe or the US, and in the re-emergent student movement in Latin America. However, this international wave of modern whistleblowing and political protest was not assayed in consensus-Sweden, neither analysed in the MSM. Instead of taking up this vital discussion on the meaning of WikeLeaks for the democratic process, Swedish readers have been depleted a) partly with a negative myth building around Julian Assange’s personality, and b) partly with deceiving information on the “legal” case.
I
Liberationist meaning of WikiLeaks
To be radical (from radix =
root) is to understand and solve problems in the roots of society. For
humanists, the root of society is man himself [3]. Radicals in the
history of mankind have acted upon progress in numerous societal
spheres. Classically considered, these have been mainly science and
philosophy, religions issues, and politics.
I would say that the first great radical I
was aware of in my upbringing is Prometheus, the one who stole the
secret of Gods’ domination upon men, the fire, and exposed such
revelation to all humans in earth. When the liberation fighters appealed
to Prometheus during the Greek War of Independence 1821-1832 they did
so thinking in his great political action, not in his personal
attributes such as his white or long hair, as depicted by the artist.
Reflecting on such determinant impact of Prometheus’s action for the progress in history (he made possible dmokratía
on earth, says the legend), I would say his symbolic deed set the path
for what progressive radicalism is, and that is the kind of relevant
role which in this very epoch has assumed the WikiLeaks organization
founded by Julian Assange, an by extension whistle-blower hero Bradley
Manning, Edward Snowden and all those that actively pursue the rescue of
democracy by means of making governing transparent.
In both cases – the mythological hero depicted by Hesiod’s poem Theogony [4] and the ones of the real, vivid drama of our days – their mission has been to reveal to the individuals of the demos the secrets of a deceiving rule (kratos).
And this empowerment was brought about concretely for the purposes of
combating cruel wars, political oppression, and social injustice. In
other words, it is their actions, the societal consequences of such political behaviours what makes the historical stature, beyond the personalities per se.
These accomplishments have however been
in Sweden ostracized to the forgotten realm. Or they have hardly been
mentioned. At the contrary, the main theme in the Swedish mainstream
media has been to treat the personality of Julian Assange and
indulge interpretations – more than facts – around the legal case for
which Sweden has nominally asked the WikiLeaks founder extradition.
In other words, what the political
establishment and their media have neglected to inform the public is the
most relevant fact: The progressive political movement it has inspired,
internationally. How come that neither the Swedish press nor political
analysts have cared to elaborate on the significance of such
international movement represented by WikiLeaks? Or attempt to describe its worldwide dynamic?
Social force and political force in nowadays radicalism
Any organization (political party, lobby,
altruistic, etc.) acting upon the political phenomena would have the
potential– by design or without – for eventually develop a movement.
This embryonic movement is not necessarily equated with the inspiring
organization’s primary goals neither with the ideology of its leaders or
members. This “political mutation” – the transition of an organization
towards an ample political movement – is phenomena actively sought by
such organizations (such as our old revolutionary organizations that
pursued the formations of fronts) or simply are brought about
spontaneously thanks to “objective premises”; meaning, when a new
“social force” has grown in the political arena. These are often social
groups or individuals disengaged from traditional political parties
insofar those parties are not any longer considered to represent their
interests. Eventually, they would identify the strategic goals of a
given emergent (inspiring) organization with the tactical goals
corresponding to their crucial every-day needs and experiences.
For instance, inquiring into the Swedish
panorama, we find vast number of individuals that experience grievances
against their private and civil rights from the part of the government
and state institutions. These measures may have a base in legislation.
However, it is highly discussible whether the citizens’ opinions in some
concrete issues (for example, respect of privacy in cyber
communication) are taken into account during the legislation processes.
In fact, the Swedish praxis may consist rather in the searching of consensus
by all political parties. However – as I have expressed elsewhere –
“consensus” in Sweden is not the searching for homogeneity of opinions,
but a bargaining of interests. And when economic or geopolitical
interests are – as they are often – entangled in such political trading,
the “positions” of the political parties appear further alienated from
both their ideological principles (for which they got their votes) and
the interests of the individuals or consumers. All this was exemplary
demonstrated by all the political actors in the Swedish Parliament
during the discussion and promulgation of the surveillance legislation
(FRA-lagen), the IPRED discussions, etc. See for instance “Debating Sweden’s surveillance legislation. FRA-lagen against civil liberties“.[1] [4]
This modern equation (Cyber-media and
communication in conjunction with a re-emerging questioning for
democratic rule, across borders) had a pivotal influence in the Occupy
movement in Western Europe or the US, and in the re-emergent student
movement in Latin America. And it will come sooner or later to
Sweden, as it was with the 68’s world’s movement (arriving in Sweden in
the 70′s). The question is also what organization, or what type of
movement will be the channel. Internationally considered, the protesters
have sought inspiration in the organization WikiLeaks and its main
demand for transparency in governing. In Sweden, in those regards there
is a political vacuum and the political scenario looks more like an open
question. Perhaps the Green parties could have taken such leading role,
but they missed it. Yet more incomprehensible is that the Swedish Pirate Party also missed that historical momentum. [6]
II
Some myths in Sweden on Julian Assange
The absolutely main question in this
context is this “What Julian Assange represents”. The answer of this
query will be often the ideological self-portrait of a given medial
culture, of the powers behind, or of the own article’s author.
In Sweden, in most of the cases, instead
of this vital discussion on the impact of Julian Assange’s organization
WikiLeaks, the readers have been depleted with a negative myth building
around his personality and often-deceiving information on the “legal”
case. Here follows a sample:
“Radical feminists” or feminist opportunists?
One of the main myths spread refer to Julian Assange as “enemy of feminism”. The statement cannot be more far from truth. His liberationist
platform clearly comprises the struggle for equal rights as identified
by the international feminist movement. Conspicuous feminists, such as
Naomi Wolf or in Sweden Helene Bergman have expressly given their
support to Julian Assange’s struggle for justice in the context of the
Swedish case against him. Recently, a letter
sent by distinguished intellectuals, professors and culture
personalities in Australia to the Foreign Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd
MP, included notable feminists of that country.
In strict ideological sense, left
radical-feminists would find in true an identification of their societal
purposes for justice and equality for all genders in the liberationist
message of WikiLeaks as well as the actual statements of Julian
Assange. Radical-feminists should not permit their spirit been kidnapped
by right-wing opportunists, which in the base defend a political system
opposing equality of all kinds.
What has happened in Sweden is that a
limited number of self-proclaimed “radical feminists”, for the most part
right-wingers, have initiated or participated in campaigns ad-hominem
against the WikiLeaks founder, for instance the “Prataomdet” campaign
and a series of articles in the mainstream media. And that in my opinion
is NOT left radical feminism; it is simply opportunism. In my article “So called Swedish ‘radical feminists’ declared Julian Assange a symbolic issue”
I show among other the public participation of lawyer and politician
Claes Borgström – the instigator of the prosecution in Sweden against
the WikiLeaks founder - in paying homage to the anti-Assange
“Prataomdet” campaign.
The myth on “Paranoia”
Another myth is centred in supposedly
negative features of the personality of Julian Assange, as they have
been invented by his detractors and repeated in the tabloid press and
even by the Swedish National Television, as it was the case recently in
the program Agenda
of 23 October 2011 which repeated without further qualification Assange
is “much paranoid in his behaviour” and authoritarian towards his
collaborators. [6]
Previously, a notable columnist of Aftonbladet, Johanne Hildebrant, had written on Assange, he is “a paranoid idiot who refuses to come to Sweden to stand trial”. [8]. Parallel, the tabloid Expressen described in detail Julian Assange supposedly “severe compulsive needs. . .” [9]. And the list is long. My research shown among other (See Newsmill article “Medierapporteringen om Assange är osaklig och likriktad“)
that the articles with hostile content published in the study period by
the Swedish press exceeded significantly the articles with positive or
objective/neutral content. And that among the articles referring to his
personality features 72 per cent did so by using hostile, aggressive or
detrimental terms.
Needles to say that no professionals have
ever been quoted of having such assessments, that, astonishingly, are
freely reproduced in the Swedish mainstream media.
When I submitted my Witness statement
to the London Courts, based in the above investigation, I had not met
Julian Assange personally. My first personal encounter with the
WikiLeaks founder occurred only recently, in London December 2011. The
meeting centered around a book project on contemporary political
philosophers, but it prolonged long in the day.
And I can say that I would be happy to
extent my witness statement in order to strongly contradict the nonsense
published about his allegedly behaviour. For I guess – it is only my
belief – that my opinion would be the closest to what
scientific-research psychiatry have been in some position to assess.
And my opinion is that Julian Assange, apart of demonstrating being
intellectually brilliant, is psychologically speaking among the most
normal among the normal political leaders or cultural personalities, or
journalists, I have ever met (and I have met some deal of weird ones
too). Besides, I was also in position of witnessing for hours the gentle
fashion in which Julian Assange addressed his colleagues and staff, and
also the reciprocally respect and care.
And regarding the “paranoia” issue, I
say, that is definitely purely smearing. An invented thing attributed to
the personality of the WikiLeaks founder by his political enemies, and
repeated by people who have never met him personally. It is just one
among other lies they have sold about WikiLeaks. Further, I
personally think that the so much told (by the tabloid media) security
arrangements around the WikiLeaks leader is another exaggerated
description. As and old Resistant combatant I would say that it is
unfortunately the opposite, that their security arrangements seems
rather precarious for a person whose execution has been suggested by
some prominent US politicians (and that is not a myth). In fact, I
personally could not see or experience any difference in those regards
between Assange’s meeting-arrangements and those of any other cultural
personality living in the open. In other words, the notion of Assange as
a “scare” or “paranoid” personality seeing “enemies” all around is
absolutely a falsehood. I put entirely my Swedish academic-doctoral
qualifications in the field (Psychiatry, from the Karolinska Institutet)
at the stake, as base for my asseverations.
The myth of “fearing to stand interrogation”
In conclusion, the smearing based on the
“paranoia” issue fits too well with the next myth, on Julian Assange’s
“fear” of coming to Sweden “to stand trial”. I have strong reasons to
believe that this might have been created as a deceiving “smoke curtain”
with the purpose of play down the real risk of an eventually extradition
from Sweden to the US. By repeating over again in the media the mantra
of his supposedly “exaggerated” and “unfounded” fear of merely being
interrogated by some prosecutor just “because” he would be “paranoid”,
the real peril of an extradition to US it makes sounding as unreal. In
fact it is very real: according to figures by the Swedish Ministry of
Justice, regarding the open extradition requests from the USA since
2000, Sweden has granted such extradition in the total of cases in which
the prisoner was in Swedish territory.
III
Epilogue. Pandora, the first ever known honey trap
When the Olympus gods faced the fact that
whistleblower Prometheus had stolen the secret fire, Zeus ordered
Hephaestus to create a woman empowered with a box containing plagues,
and that she should be sent to Prometheus as punishment. She was given
the name Pandora. She was deliberately conceived as a resourceful
nasty woman and with mission that in the appropriate moment opening the
famous Pandora box – which so many plagues caused to the radical
Prometheus. All this as told by Hesiod in Theogony about ten centuries ago. Pandora’s programmed action against Prometheus was the first ever honey trap known to humankind.
After I met Julian Assange in London,
recently in December 2011, I twittered that, meeting him personally
reminded me vividly my encounter with Commander Che Guevara in February
1964. This comparison was instantaneously, and highly, shared by
numerous re-tweets, which indicates the widespread notion outside Sweden
of the historical impact of the activities deployed by the organization founded by Assange.
For it, I will finish with these remarks
of Che Guevara, which I first reproduced in my inaugural lecture “El
Sepulcro de Don Quijote” [10] when I became professor for the first time
back in 1970. Guevara’s words bear a remarkably reference to the role
of the new Cyber technique used by both WikiLeaks and the
Cyber-connected democratic fighters all along the world:
“Y Ustedes, estudiantes del mundo,
recuerden que detrás de cada técnica hay una sociedad que la empuña, y
que respecto a esa sociedad, o se está con ella, o se está en contra de
ella”
“…You, remember that behind every technique there is a society that hold it with their hands, and either you fight for that society, or you fight against it”
Notes and References
[1] Christopher L. Blaskesley, The
Practice of Extradition from Antiquity to Modern France and the United
States: A Brief History. Boston College International and Comparative
Law Review, Vol 4, Issue I, Article 3. (“Conclusions I” in page 56)
[2] Analyses on media campaigns or
psychological-war exercise are also highly in the domain of social
psychiatry, which was my original research subject at the Karolinska
Institute. Secondly, scientific (empirical) epidemiology is also
fundamental for the study of the distribution of given myths in a
population, such as attending to risk factors, issues of vulnerability,
culture and others. “Qualitative” studies – in which media and
so-called gender (pseudo radical feminist) research is based – are not
scientific and their conclusions not reliable. The popularity of these
bogus academic procedures in official Sweden is grounded in yet another
myth.
[3] A Sanchez Vázquez. “Filosofía y
Cirscunstancias”. ANTROPHOS, México, 1997. Quoting early Marx’s writings
in context of Alienation Theory.
[5] M Ferrada de Noli,“”Debating Sweden’s surveillance legislation. FRA-lagen against civil liberties“. Professors blogg, 22 September 2008
[6] To give an illustration, the Swedish
Pirate Party (PP), in spite of being the first and at a time with a
great influence in Europe, refused to integrate the International PP
organization based in that their economic contribution to such
organization, as stipulated it should be “proportional” to the number of
party-members, would have “impoverished” the Swedish PP’s resources
(explanation was given to me by the Swedish PP office (kansliet)
in January 2011. It was an answer to a direct consultation on why the
Swedish PP does not participate in the international coordinated
activities in solidarity with Assange and WikiLeaks organized elsewhere
in the world by the Pirate parties.
[7] Swedish National Television, Program “Agenda” 23 October 2011. The quote-exerpct in Swedish was “väldigt paranoid I sitt uppträdande”
[8] Johanne Hildebrant, “Assange has become one of those he wanted to fight against”. Aftonbladet, Stockholm, 13 February 2011
[9] “Mister Assange’s defense” Expressen, Culture. Stockholm, 13 February 2011
[10] M Ferrada de Noli. “El sepulcro de
Don Qujote. Clase Magistral”. Documentos Universitarios, Universidad de
Chile – Arica, No 1, 1970
–
Published first in Newsmill, 26 December 2011
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