RIMC Stands in solidarity With Assange and Wikileaks

Rochester Indymedia stands in solidarity with Wikileaks and Julian Assange. Our editorial collective believes in the importance of an independent press and the transparency of government—two principles adhered to by Wikileaks through its public release of hundreds of thousands of confidential state documents. It is one of the primary responsibilities of the press to report the truth; Wikileaks and Assange have done this and continue to do so much to the dismay of governments, public figures and multinational corporations.

Rochester Indymedia also supports the efforts of whistle blowers and investigative reporters in exposing the truth that is hidden daily by governments and corporations. Transparency is a cornerstone of democracy; after 9/11, government secrecy, deceptions and a culture of fear lead to the illegal invasion of two sovereign nations, while a crackdown on dissent and the demonizing of certain groups of people in the U.S. resulted in the breaking of international, federal, state, and local law as well as severely restricting constitutional rights. Clearly, the deceptions, secrets, and lies are hypocrisy in the face of free and transparent governments.

Rochester Indymedia denounces the death threats made against Assange by public officials such as Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Bob Beckel,Democratic strategist and commentator and many others. We also denounce the use of an international warrant for Assange's arrest that was issued by INTERPOL for questioning in Sweden, and finally the despicable choice by the corporate media to cover the character and personality of Assange rather than the damning criminal behavior of world governments that is being exposed by Wikileaks.

In a climate where a majority of the population does not trust its government, Wikileaks and Assange help to expose the lies, inconsistencies and deceptions that our government is perpetrating on its citizens, other countries, and the world at large. The secrets that are being exposed by Wikileaks only serve the elites and the powerful of this country while creating conditions of death, destruction, and ecocide for the rest of us. Thank you Wikileaks, Assange and all those that speak truth. Power to the people!

-Rochester Indymedia Editorial Collective