If I Could Speak to Judge Michael Snow About Julian Assange

If I were allowed to speak to Judge Michael Snow who will be the first judge on Julian’s extradition case, this is what I would say:

“Your honor, in regards to Julian Assange I would like to make a statement in support of him. I know that you recently stated that you thought he was narcissistic and you thought he only had his own self interests in mind. I do not agree.

Julian Assange wanted to make a difference in this world. Unlike most of us, he had the opportuniy, the skills and the intelligence to do so. He saw a world full of corruption and deceit and he chose to expose it. Not for his own gain but because he sought to protect the innocent who were being maimed and destroyed by this corruption. He could have chosen the easy way out and never published anything or been like the rest of the media and only published bits and pieces that wouldn’t have gotten him into hot water. He didn’t. He chose their lives over his own.

He knew once he began publishing “Collateral Murder” the Afghan War Logs and the Iraq war crimes his life would be in danger. He had a choice. A very hard choice, his life or possibly save others. He chose to attempt to save lives and educate the public.

Julian Assange sought asylum sir, because he was terrified once he learned what had happened to Chelsea Manning while incarcerated and then others who were extradited by the U.S. government. He spent 7 years in a couple of rooms no bigger than a small office and suffered terribly including the last year of torture rather than being extradited to the U.S. where he knew he would face worse. He dealt with dental infections and torment from a bad tooth rather than face extradition. If you’ve ever had a toothache or an infection from a bad tooth you know how horrible it can be. To suffer with it out of terror shows you just how scared Assange really was.

I dont think Julian ever meant to cause any harm by taking asylum. I believe the fear he felt was so immense it honestly affected his ability to think properly. To know, by being extradited you face a future of torture as seen in the Stratfor emails and the examples shown, must have left him feeling he had no choice. His life was in danger and the thought of being tortured would affect anyone’s ability to think straight.

Julian Assange is a journalist sir. He published truths because he cared. He published truths that were necessary for the public interest and justice for those innocents who died. If he is extradited, he will most likely face the death penalty.

According to British law he cannot be extradited if he faces death or the possibilty of bodily harm or psychological torture. We both know that once he is in U.S. custody, the secret grand jury indictments will be released and he will be charged under the Espionage Act. The small charge he faces now is just a cover to get him to the U.S.

Sir, in my opinion, Julian Assange is a hero and the world cannot stand to lose an award winning, nobel peace prize nominee journalist and genius like him. If he is extradited, his very blood will be on the United Kingdom’s hands. Please release him after he serves his time and allow him to go elsewhere where he could receive asylum whereever he chooses to go. Thank you.