Shield Laws, WikiLeaks & The Public's Right To Know

Underneath the radar screen of the average American citizen, a legislative battle is going on for what is called a "Federal Shield Law." This is legislation that would "protect journalists from having to reveal anonymous sources when challenged by prosecutors in federal court." Those opposed to the bill are using the Wikileaks Affair as a focal point for renewed opposition to the Shield Law. It will be remembered that in July 2010 Wikileaks published on line tens of thousands of Defense Department documents, along with combat videos, concerning the conduct of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a sign of the superficiality of our politicians and the vested interest orientation of American news organizations and their journalists that they have seriously misinterpreted the importance of the Wikileaks Affair. This is not about who is or who is not a "real" journalist. It is about the status and future of what is suppose to be an "open" society wherein people are accurately informed about decisions and policies that actually or potentially impact their lives. It is about the right to know and the right not to be misled.

Lawrence Davidson, MWC News

Related Links:
* Trying To Exclude WikiLeaks From Shield Law Stinks
Douglas Lee, First Amendment Center

Julian Assange/WikiLeaks/CIA: The Smear Campaign

Truth - through source materials - is what WikiLeaks is all about. Truth is what WikiLeaks has been peddling. Truth is what the powers that be want to stop. John Young of Cryptome has a collection of absolutely ludicrous 'forged' 'leaks' supposedly from WikiLeaks that show how clumsy these spooks can be. Tina Brown's Daily Beast is one of three sites conducting a systematic smear campaign against WikiLeaks - and who have now escalated into a smear campaign against Assange himself. Tina Brown's organisation has a number of uncomfortable ties with the Hoover Institution, Condi Rice, Tony Blair, and other war hawks. Daily Beast are also rather notorious at this point for twisting and plagiarising. They obviously can't control their 'rank and file'. What You Do: Stay on track. Don't be naïve. And don't be silent. Do not take mainstream articles at face value. And absolutely do not take mainstream headlines at face value. Do not pass on s purious articles with uncorroborated stories to friends or anyone. Remember: the powers that be are counting on you being stupid. So don't be stupid. Don't worry about Jules Assange. He can take care of himself. Worry instead about the truth.

Information Release, Rixstep

Related Links:
* Peering Into The Fog Of War
John O’Loughlin, Frank D. W. Witmer, Andrew M. Linke & Nancy Thorwardson, Eurasian Geography and Economics
* Afghan War Diary - Multiple Atrocities Exposed
Information Release, WikiLeaks
* Collateral Murder
US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad -- including two Reuters news staff
Information Release, WikiLeaks