State Dept Decides: Julian Assange Not a Journalist
Agenda of Seeing Truth Released Incompatible With Being Journalist, Crowley Insists
The protection of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange under the umbrella of freedom of the press has been a surprisingly controversial subject in the United States. But the US State Department has weighed in today and ruled that Julian Assange doesn’t count as a journalist but is rather a “politcal actor.”
The claim, which was announced by US Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Crowley came with the justification that Assange has an “agenda” behind his activities, which in this case appears to be the goal of seeing the truth revealed to the public, which is wholly incompatible with being a “journalist.”
It is a doubly bizarre claim, both because the historical concept of a journalist involves exactly this, revealing true information to the public, and in that the United States does not formally license journalists nor does there seem to be any basis for deciding who does or doesn’t count.
The Constitution, of course, makes no effort to limit the “freedom of the press” to a specific class of officially approved of journalists, and the term “political actor” appears to have been made up entirely on the spot, which no existing basis under US law as giving a person less of a constitutional right to free speech.
Crowley went on to say that Assange is trying to “undermine the international system” and that he is an “anarchist” for having done so. Assange self-identifies as a libertarian in the American sense, but insists he is not actively political.
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peterjkraus
December 10th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Of course he's not a journalist. Neither are the folks writing for the New York Times (although that's been known ever since Judith Miller and Michael R. Gordon decided that Pentagon propaganda was real hard news), Der Spiegel, Le Monde, you name it.
What are they then? If the State Department determines they're not journalists, can we shoote them like the Al Jazeera journalists in Bagdad?
And this used to be such a great country.
the lion
December 10th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
It seems that in Australia some of the Best Known Journalists believe that he is one!
Heathcliff_Maw
December 10th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Whether or not he is a journalist is completely irrelevant to whether he has first amendment rights, as you point out. Further, what right does the United States have to extradite the citizens of other countries for actions committed outside US jurisdiction? Why aren't we extraditing the Israelis who received classified documents from Jonathan Pollard or Larry Franklin?
Robert Shule
December 10th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Surely the State Department must be joking. The first amendment was created specifically for the purposes of protecting Political dissent.
George B
December 11th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Since when has the state department decide who is or is not a journalist? There is plenty of democrats that have nothing democratic in them and I could mention others as well.
The people they call journalists have never reported on a real story apart from Britney being pregnant. Do we have to take seriously what they say???
paulBass
December 11th, 2010 at 12:56 am
oh no you see the freedom of the press refers only to gutenberg's printing press and only in relationship to printing bibles.
Montaigne
December 11th, 2010 at 1:18 am
It is quite nice, that in answer to revelations of the dark deeds, the system now produces openly unlawful and disgraceful statements! Hopefully to extinguish themselves and wake up the population. Though the latter probably takes at least 15 years of further conflict and economic crisis.
Druthers
December 11th, 2010 at 2:23 am
Has the State Department made a declaration on the exact job qualification of Jesus?
Tharms
December 11th, 2010 at 2:44 am
Of course, the Constitution gives the State Department no authority to decide such matters whatsoever.
curmudgeonvt
December 11th, 2010 at 5:54 am
In the Presser (talking to "journalists") there doesn't seem that there was much of a hue and cry from said "journalists" when PJ came out with this royal decree. That in itself ought to indicate that the so called "journalists" who are supposed to be reporting on these things don't understand what is going on nor what their real job is supposed to entail.
So, I will decree that the so called "journalists" who gather at the feet of the USG town criers are NOT journalists but merely sycophants and lapdogs. They should be prosecuted for impersonating real journalists.
Good Luck
December 11th, 2010 at 8:25 am
Official transcript. FWIW, I think he is self described as an editor not a journalist.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2010/12/152291….
Giovanni
December 11th, 2010 at 9:17 am
Nice doublespeak:
journalist we dislike – “politcal actor”
opposing soldier we want to torture – "unauthorized combatant"
apartheid wall in Israel – "separation barrier"
illegal Mexican alien parasite – "undocumented worker"
Orwell would be proud.
Giovanni
December 11th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Given our unquestioned adhesion to Israel and our double citizen Jewish traitors in the Gevernment, Jesus would be sent to Quantanamo for "enhanced interrogation"
jeff_davis
December 11th, 2010 at 10:26 am
"Lips."
An old joke: guy says to his friend, "I've figured out how to tell when that politician is lying." Friend responds, "How?" Guy answers, "Watch him closely, and whenever you see his lips move…"
So I use the single word, "Lips" to remind myself that they ***always*** lie. That's what they do. Always. And that's where you need to start. Always. Remind yourself. "Lips." They lie. They always lie. They have to lie. That's how they achieve their goals. By manipulating people with lies. Sometimes the lies are blatantly obvious. But all too often they're not, and you run the risk of forgetting — forgetting who they are; forgetting what they are — and treating what they say as you would from a friend or other regular person — you know, someone who is not a liar by profession.
So if you're a younger person hoping to make a better world, then remember this, and remind yourself, on every occasion when these social criminals point their face at you, "lips".
Good luck.
Lips.
Sad
December 11th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Presumably this means the State Department is abandoning any effort to extradite Assange from Europe to the US.
The State Department's declaration that Assange is a "political actor" means that extradition is impossible now, since the extradition treaties appear to specifically exclude political "crimes."
So this is good news for Assange. But bad news for the once-free press.
John_Mohammad
December 11th, 2010 at 11:54 am
What the US State Deaprtment labels Assange is irrelevant- all countried should refuse extradition to the US on the grounds that: a) the US uses the death penalty (which many nations have abandonded), b) many political leaders in the US have already gone on record as saying he should be assassinated/ executed, and c) the US is a self-confessed employer of torture and 'extraordinary rendition' of prisoners to nations who do a bang-up business in torture.
Since there is no legal precedent for holdind Assange on grounds of treason or espionage, presumable the reason will be for being a sex offfender- but if this is the case, why aren't we calling for sex offendres from all other countries to be extradited here for punishment (since, one must conclude, the rest of the world isn't fit to punish their own criminals). Granted this is assuming Sweden really intends to go forward with their ridiculous charges- I expect them to be a laughingstock as well if he ever sees a courtroom over this.
MK_Ultra
December 11th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
This is just great. The DoS is now in charge of determining who is a journalist and who isn't. I rather suppose that this Department is in the process of evolving into the Ministry of Truth.
I wonder why the DoS hasn't yet made the determination that Rush Limbass, Bill O'Reilley, Glenn Beck, et al. are not journalists.
guests
December 11th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
No matter what, when, where or by whom.., if the facts are against US and or British or for that matter EU governments.., then that person and no matter from when or where and whom that person is.., the bringing to light the government deceptions is a risk to all those governments.., so they are preparing for a time when they can and will silence those who are journalist or not.
This ahs been the governments agendas since Bill Clinton-Tony Blair with help of Swedish Social Democrats government invaded Yugoslavia in a preemptive war ideology by those whom are the mother of all neo-fascism.
MK_Ultra
December 11th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Oops! The last one gave you away.
MK_Ultra
December 11th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
No but notice that they also haven't decried the FOX News putrid crowd as not being journalists either. Not that the State Dept. has anything to do with matters of the press or anything like that.
JLS
December 11th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
"The Constitution, of course, makes no effort to limit the “freedom of the press” to a specific class of officially approved of journalists, and the term “political actor” appears to have been made up entirely on the spot, which no existing basis under US law as giving a person less of a constitutional right to free speech."
Damn Jason, that's really a good sentence, really well said. You're a good writer!
Operation Payback
December 11th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
peterjkraus,
No. Unfortunately, this was never a great country. It was built on lies, genocide, slavery, land thievery, and empty slogans.
Think about it.
Kevin Schmidt
December 16th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Exactly right!
Also, the Constitution gives the State Department and Homeland Security no authority to decide who is a terrorist or which organization is a terrorist organization.
The U.S. Constitution may not be altered or changed in anyway through executive order, legislative fiat or judicial decree.
Kevin Schmidt
December 16th, 2010 at 11:10 am
You were right up until the last doublespeak. SHAME ON YOU!
It should read:
undocumented immigrant – illegal Mexican worker
How do you know anyone is "illegal" until after his or her fair trial? Of course, immigrants are being used as scapegoats for Free Trade Treaties that stole most of our manufacturing jobs and exported them to third world countries. Free Trade Treaties are also the cause of the flood of undocumented immigrants coming into the US.
End the Free Trade Treaties, and we end the undocumented immigrant problem and the exodus of manufacturing jobs.
Kevin Schmidt
December 16th, 2010 at 11:12 am
HA! The U.S. Government screwed up, again!
They never could think more than a half a move ahead.
Kevin Schmidt
December 16th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Imperialism, genocide, ecocide, torture and terrorism are all proud American traditions since 1492!
America, FUCK YEAH!
~South Park