The past few months, and more specifically weeks, has seen Britain, along with many other parts of the world, reaching an increasingly concerning state of affairs. Concerning, but oddly exhilarating in the anticipation of something boiling over, with more than one person mentioning to me in a not-so-jokingly manner that the apocalypse is near. With the Tory government attacking the underprivileged yet again, this time in the shape of the education system; The police proving themselves to be shockingly brutal in their reaction to both violent and non-violent protesters alike; The US Embassy cables, the release of the Afghan and Iraq War logs, and the arrest of Julian Assange. These events can only lead me to question where our freedom of information has gone (or ever was)? Where has our sense of justice gone? Where are our leaders?
Well they are supporting themselves of course, in the only way they know possible. By supporting the banks who rob us. And supporting the interests of oil companies, the uber-rich, the bourgeoisie, the aristocracy. They are not supporting the people who gave them their positions, and they are not supporting the beliefs and the foundations that their countries are built upon. Beliefs such as freedom of speech and information. WikiLeaks is chipping away at the wall that our leaders have built between themselves and us. It is providing us with some hard information that we so rightly deserve. Information that is not pretty, and is not positive in any sense of the word, other than that it is enlightening, and that it is truthful; an attribute that our governments are moving further and further away from. But it isn't enough. It has not reached the core of secrecy that our governments will do anything to keep from us. But if the leaders have their way it never will, because the tip of the iceberg that WikiLeaks has unveiled will only ever remain the tip.
Hillary Clinton can stand self-righteously behind her podium and tell the world that WikiLeaks is threatening national security, and undermining America's efforts to forge relationships with other countries in order to help them solve their problems. Because those efforts are not without ulterior motives. And who is more aware of this than the US Secretary of State? I can't say that I would behave differently were I put in her position, given the already unstable reputation America has for international relations, and with the weight of so many secrets on her shoulders ready to slip through the net and onto WikiLeaks. Solve the problems of other countries you say? Or solve the problem of decreasing resources in America and appease the companies who pull the strings of the White House?
And it is not surprising to learn of the lengths that America is going to in order to see Assange disappear: Accused of treason (may I remind you that Assange is Australian and that you are not the rulers of the world, no matter what your imaginary friends tell you); Calls for him to be assassinated by US Special Forces (subtlety was never their strong point); Declared a transnational threat (because America are the pinnacle of stability); And of course that incontinent, illiterate cow Sarah Palin has likened him to Osama Bin Laden (but like anyone takes her seriously). These melodramatic sentiments however, can only be expected from a country as backward, as immoral, as shameless and megalomaniacal as the United States of (Corruption) America. Perhaps the White House is experiencing some trepidation at the possibility of it becoming clear that the Obama Administration bares little difference to the last under Bush, and that the not-so-White House may soon become painted with blood.
But let me stop for a second and view with some perspective the increased use of the word apocalypse in recent conversations. The tripling of tuition fees in England means that for millions of underprivileged children, a university education would no longer be an option. Public unrest increases. George Osborne proves that he... twisted his promises shall we say, regarding the actions to be taken against the banks. Public frustration increases. Images are released of police kettling protesters around parliament until 11pm, using unnessary and unjustified force, and potentially putting the lives of peaceful protesters at risk. Public disillusionment increases. Footage comes to light of disabled reporter Jody McIntyre being tipped out of his wheelchair by police and dragged along the street, to the anger and helplessness of those around him who, if they were to step forward, would be beaten to the ground. And the BBC continue to tell us that the students are the real thugs. Public outrage increases. And now Julian Assange faces further imprisonment with the announcement that Sweden are set to challenge bail, all because he had the resolve to expose the crimes that our governments are committing behind closed doors and guarded fences.
And that's not to mention all the national disasters that seem to be on the rise because of global warming. Would these events be occuring in the "free world" that Hillary and Obama are supposedly fighting for? Would they take place in the "big society" that the Conservatives laid out in their manifesto, or the world that Nick Clegg so charismatically promised? Or would they take place in the world of Orwell, of Huxley, and of Mieville?
We are living in an increasingly frightening and unsettling world when our police forces, put there to protect us, are the ones beating us down into the pavement. Where women are whipped in public for wearing trousers. Where our governments are the puppets of capitalist corporations and no longer work in the people's interests. When you don't need a valid reason to start a war, and when people like David Kelly are assassinated for pointing this out. If the powers that be have their way, Julian Assange will be extradited to Sweden, and from there to america, where he will be "disposed of accordingly". The only positive outlook that I can take in the event that such circumstances come to pass, is that this be the final straw necessary to break the camel's back, and lead the people to... act accordingly. But if this is the direction that this country is travelling, I suggest changing the name at the top of the new 300m tall pyramidal structure in central London from "Shard" to "Ministry of Truth" and blacking out all the windows, because it is clear that the country's leaders are employed in deceit, amongst other things.
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