Who is Julian Assange? What is he trying to do?

Internet activist, terrorist, narcissist, journalist, anarchist, or sexual offender?  His name elicits interest and emotion.  How would you describe Julian Assange, editor in chief of WikiLeaks?   Much of the current brouhaha bubbling up at the mention of his name centers around the publication that began on WikiLeaks in late 2010 of some secret US diplomatic cables.

The publishing of this information has not been alarming to me.  In fact, 53% of  the cables are unclassified, 40% are marked “Confidential,“ and only 6% are labeled “Secret.”  I have been much more upset that the American public has had to muddle around the roadblocks of misinformation and secrecy regarding many governmental decisions.  Weapons of mass destruction? Our news media acted like it was under a Washington spell and was of little use in quickly unearthing the truth regarding the launch of the Iraqi war.  The lie we were fed has cost our country about 4500 lives, 32,000 wounded soldiers, and a price tag of $800 billion.  (In addition, it has been estimated that the bill is over $3 trillion when the war’s impact on the US economy is added to the governmental expenses.)  Change is needed.

Assange described the philosophy behind WikiLeaks: “To radically shift regime behavior we must think clearly and boldly for if we have learned anything, it is that regimes do not want to be changed.  We must think beyond those who have gone before us and discover technological changes that embolden us with ways to act in which our forebears could not…the more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie…” leaving it vulnerable and more open to change.  Assange advocates a transparent and scientific approach to journalism.  H-m-m-m, transparency, isn’t that a familiar buzz word?

Remember, WikiLeaks was not responsible for the hacking that led to the obtainment of those 251,000 American diplomatic cables, only for releasing some of them.  This--the publishing of illegally obtained information--has always been recognized as a freedom in our country.  It is the hacker who is responsible for the crime.

Do I want individuals who are in service to our government to be at physical risk?  No.  But do I want to know that US ambassadors around the world are being ordered “to engage in espionage behavior?”  Yes.  Some things need to be exposed, and it appears that the traditional sources are no longer doing this.

So, what do you think?  Who is Julian Assange, and what is he trying to do?

(Huffington Post, Wikipedia, Washington Post, The Guardian)